Reading Programs for 9th Graders

In our 9th grade reading program, your high schooler will double reading speed, improve comprehension in fiction and nonfiction, strengthen writing skills, and expand his or her vocabulary, all while cultivating a love of reading.

Reading and writing both play a huge role in your son or daughter’s experience in 9th grade.

Ninth graders need to develop strong comprehension in fiction and nonfiction and learn how to write clearly and effectively. They must be able to read quickly enough to complete assignments efficiently. They’re expected to master new skills throughout the school year and build the confidence they need to succeed with academic challenges.

Taking one of our programs will be an engaging and effective learning experience for your son or daughter. Our students learn key skills to succeed with their academic reading and writing, develop lots of confidence, and build a lasting love of books that inspires the habit of reading for pleasure.

Each Six-Week Online Program Includes:

Age-Appropriate Books
Engaging Group Activities & Discussions
Skill Development & Independent Practice
1-1 Support
End-of-Session Progress Report

Age-Appropriate Books

Every program features high-quality books filled with timeless, relatable stories. Each book is carefully selected to be both challenging and accessible at your high schooler's reading level.

Engaging Group Activities & Discussions

Your high schoolerwill participate in six dynamic, live online group classes led by a teacher who specializes in teaching core skills, facilitating thoughtful discussion, and bringing books to life.

Skill Development & Independent Practice

In between weekly classes, your son or daughter will complete reading and writing assignments and interactive lessons that build essential skills and overall confidence.

1-1 Support

Whether your high schooler needs a little extra help, or you’d like to meet with his or her teacher, one-on-one appointments are available. You’ll also have access to our on-demand Homework Helpline for added individual support.

End-of-Session Progress Report

At the end of the program, you’ll receive a progress report from the teacher on how your son or daughter is doing, plus what to focus on next to continue growing as a reader and writer.

9th Grade Sessions

We offer five sessions for 9th graders throughout the year. Each session features a unique set of books chosen specifically to be both enjoyable and appropriately challenging, ensuring kids have a successful, engaging experience.

Summer

Summer Program for Entering 9^th Graders

Available to Start in June and July

View Summer Schedules

Summer Program for Incoming 10^th-11^th Graders >>>

Early Fall

Early Fall Program for 9^th Graders

Available to Start in September and October

Enrollment Opens in June

Late Fall

Late Fall Program for 9^th Graders

Available to Start in October and November

Enrollment Opens in August

Winter

Winter Program for 9^th Graders

Available to Start in February and March

Enrollment Opens in November

<<< Winter Program for Current 8^th Graders

Spring

Spring Program for 9^th Graders

Available to Start in March, April, and May

Enrollment Opens in January

<<< Spring Program for Current 8^th Graders

What Skills Will Your Child Gain in Our 9th Grade Program?

Reading Speed

Reading too slowly interferes with concentration and comprehension. It is hard to follow what’s going on, almost like watching a movie in slow motion. By increasing their speed, 9th graders can focus better on reading and finish school assignments more quickly.

In our programs for 9th graders, your child will learn effective techniques for improving reading rate and recall. Practicing these techniques gives high schoolers the tools to manage their workload successfully while maintaining good comprehension.

Comprehension

Comprehension, or the ability to understand what you read, is the goal of reading. High schoolers are expected to think critically about what they’re reading and make connections between what they read and their own lives. 9th graders with strong comprehension can follow the plot, understand characters’ motivations, and identify the underlying themes of a book.

In our 9th grade programs, your son or daughter will build comprehension by reading and discussing great books. This is a positive experience that makes reading more enjoyable. Having good comprehension encourages students to read more for pleasure, which also gives them a big advantage in school.

Writing

Writing well makes a big difference in what high schoolers can achieve. In order to express ideas effectively, students need strong writing skills. Ninth-grade writers work on improving their word choice, sentence construction, and paragraph and essay organization. They also become more proficient at revising their writing.

In our programs for 9th graders, your son or daughter will get lots of writing practice and constructive feedback and learn how to avoid common errors that can trip up young writers. When students are skilled at writing, they’re set up to succeed with any school subject.

Textbooks & Nonfiction

Reading nonfiction successfully requires a different set of skills and strategies than reading fiction. In high school, students do a lot more nonfiction reading, including textbooks, essays, articles, and more. Students are also expected to be able to find and evaluate their own nonfiction resources for papers and research projects.

In our 9th grade programs, students expand their vocabulary through interactive online lessons that provide instruction and practice with new words. They also get a boost from reading great books every week throughout the program.

Vocabulary

Having a rich, robust vocabulary is the key to strong reading comprehension in all academic subjects. This becomes increasingly important in high school, as students are faced with more advanced texts containing words that are not part of their spoken vocabulary. The most effective way for students to build vocabulary is through a combination of vocabulary instruction and doing a lot of reading for pleasure.

In our 9th grade programs, your child will learn essential nonfiction skills, including how to identify key concepts, recognize text structures, summarize information, and take good notes. These skills help students comprehend and recall important information, which is critical for academic achievement.

Building a Lifelong Love of Reading

A positive attitude and love of books motivates students to power through the challenges that come with reading.

Our programs give students positive experiences with books that inspire confidence and enthusiasm about reading. Your son or daughter will want to read even more and will develop the habit of reading for pleasure that leads to a lifetime of academic and personal benefits.

Learn more about how a love of reading makes all the difference.

Now Enrolling Summer Programs

View Schedules

Trust Our Reading Expertise

50+ Years of Experience
Dedicated Focus on Reading
High-Quality Teachers
Integrated Approach
Outstanding Book Selections
Assessment Without Tests

50+ Years of Experience

The Institute of Reading Development was founded in 1970. Since then, we’ve been endorsed by more than 200 of the country’s most well-respected universities and helped more than three million students succeed with reading.

Dedicated Focus on Reading

Unlike organizations that teach too many subjects and specialize in none, we’ve remained focused on what we excel at and love to do: teaching reading.

High-Quality Teachers

We are extremely selective in the teachers we hire. They must be intelligent, dynamic, and warm in their communication, with a knack for nurturing participation. Above all, they must have a personal passion for reading.

Integrated Approach

We provide a truly all-encompassing learning experience that combines group discussion with independent practice and one-on-one support. No other organization integrates skills instruction and guided book discussions the way we do.

Outstanding Book Selections

We're known for curating the best books for every age. The books in our programs are not only written at the appropriate difficulty level, but also tell exciting and relatable stories that students genuinely love to read.

Assessment Without Tests

Tests are often the antithesis of fun. Instead of focusing heavily on testing, we assess students' progress through their work with the teacher and performance on grade-specific reading exercises and activities.

Endorsed by Leading Colleges and Universities

We Excel at Teaching in an Online Environment

Virtual Program Pioneer
Specialized Training
Maximum Participation
Varied Perspectives
Small Class Sizes

Virtual Program Pioneer

We introduced our online offering in 2014, making us one of the first educational organizations to offer live online programs for kids. To date, we’ve taught more than 150,000 students online.

Specialized Training

Our teachers understand every stage of reading development. They go through intensive training to ensure they are well-prepared to teach core reading skills in a virtual classroom - across all grade levels.

Maximum Participation

We structure our classes to ensure that everyone's voice is heard. Our teachers track participation and call on every student, making sure each child is comfortable and confident reading aloud and sharing their thoughts.

Varied Perspectives

Our programs bring together students from across the country, each with unique backgrounds. It’s a dynamic mix of perspectives you won’t find in any traditional classroom.

Small Class Sizes

We’ve found that the most engaging and effective classes have a max of 15 students. Our average class size is about 13 students, ensuring optimal participation opportunities and individualized attention.

We Make It Easy for Parents

Not only are our programs engaging and enriching for kids, we also strive to make the entire process as stress-free as possible for parents, providing robust support throughout the entire program.

View Parent Resources

From the blog

5 Key Strategies for Reading Nonfiction

What can you expect from nonfiction as your child moves up through the grades, and what strategies will he or she need to learn? What are the personal benefits of reading nonfiction?

Reviews

Read What Parents Have to Say

“Academically in school studies he has improved and has attained honor roll . He is looking forward to continuing with program.”

- Rhonda, Parent

In our 9th grade reading program, your high schooler will double reading speed, improve comprehension in fiction and nonfiction, strengthen writing skills, and expand his or her vocabulary, all while cultivating a love of reading.

Reading and writing both play a huge role in your son or daughter’s experience in 9th grade.

Each Six-Week Online Program Includes: