LAUSR

Abstract To address the needs of middle school students who experience difficulty with reading, students are often placed in reading intervention programs to improve literacy skills. This study explores the question: in what ways do students successfully and unsuccessfully use self-initiated comprehension strategies in their efforts to engage with challenging texts? A case study of four seventh-grade students gives insight to how students engage with difficult texts through self-selected strategies. Placing an emphasis on students’ strengths, building positive student relationships, and valuing students’ abilities can encourage adolescents to transcend beyond deficit labels.