Similar but Different: Profiles of Language-minority Early Adolescent Struggling Readers

Language-minority adolescents constitute a growing number of struggling readers in upper elementary, middle and high schools, yet very little is known about their reading profiles. Currently, a handful of researchers have used empirical classification techniques to profile struggling adolescent readers, yet only one has looked specifically at language-minority students. This exploratory study drew on archived, informal reading data of 78 language-minority, early adolescent struggling readers in Grades 4 through 7. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed four distinct profiles of language-minority, early adolescent struggling readers. Although clusters of readers were defined by their varying knowledge of foundational reading skills, the majority of readers experienced oral reading rates (words per minute) outside expected grade-level performance ranges. The findings support differentiated instructional and intervention support offered to language-minority, early adolescent struggling readers.