Online K-12 Teacher License Renewal Courses

Tackling Tough Text (5 Hours)

Tackling Tough Text (5 Hours)

Reading and comprehension are essential skills required for academic growth and professional excellence in all fields.

Students may come across vocabulary, phrases, and writing styles that they find difficult to read. As students progress to higher grades, they are exposed to non-fiction reading material that is of a higher level of difficulty across all subjects. How can you help your students read and comprehend tough text, developing them into strong readers?

This online PD course includes practical strategies on tackling tough text, with a focus on the Reading Comprehension Checklist. This checklist integrates research-based reading strategies across all subject areas.

Online self-study PD courses help teachers complete continuing education requirements.

  • Start ANY Time
  • All ONLINE 24x7
  • No Textbook Needed
  • Includes ALL Content
  • Complete ANY Time over 5 years
  • Receive a Certificate of Completion


  • This course on teaching reading was great since I have been out of the classroom for some years. It really gave lots was ways to help students. I am excited to start working with students in my new position in September. I enjoyed learning through this course.
    Brenda R.
  • Very interesting class, good information, and I liked that there were samples of a reading passage to practice applying the reading comprehension checklist on.
    Erin D.
  • I appreciate learning about another strategy for tackling tough text. The resources available to outline the process should help me create more applicable resources for students.
    Rebecca M.
  • I really enjoyed learning about the checklist, and I will definitely implement it in my class when we are tackling a more difficult text. Looking forward to trying it out and seeing the results!
    Aldea L.
  • Very interesting topic. Could have used this strategy when I was going through school. I will share this with my daughters who are now becoming teachers!
    Jennifer R.
  • Enjoyed this.
    Brenda G.
  • Loved this course! Great ideas!
    Lori C.
  • I am very glad to see other teachers using the same strategy that I like to use with my students. Many teachers might not like this strategy because it takes a lot of time but it helps students understand the text.
    Samlong I.
  • I really enjoyed the course. It was straight forward and easy to use. It was a great course with good pacing and I learned lots of material in a short amount of time that I can use in future classroom environments
    Mark F.
  • As someone renewing my license, not currently teaching or having access to more clock hours in a work setting, more courses to fulfill clock hours would be great.
    Tarah K.
  • I very much appreciate the opportunity to earn recertification points through this online program. I've learned a lot, and the courses were expertly written. I also enjoyed the option to ""listen to the text"" being read. It means more sensory needs for learners. Ida
    Ida L.
  • When I first started this course, I expected to learn strategies that focused on "during" reading activities such as focusing and context clues. This course has offered much more than this. Thus, all the steps of this checklist have been concrete tools and activities that are extremely helpful in constructing meaning. I plan to practice each step with my students as we read informational passages together (with perhaps a better awareness of their experiences now that I have gone through the same steps myself!) Hopefully, they will begin to realize, as I have now realized, that trying to read without going through the steps of this checklist is like trying to make a cake without first checking to see if you have all the ingredients!
    Jeanine B.
  • The checklist is an excellent tool for students to help keep them focused, organized, and active readers.
    Ellen L.
  • Many times the students get discouraged, especially the special education students that have difficulty reading to begin with. I believe this course has allowed me to gain the tools necessary to help them succeed and achieve some of their higher reading goals. The checklist has made me realize that even if the text is difficult all students can understand it, if it is taught the correct way.
    Jaclyn R.
  • This course has taught me that all students, especially ones with difficulties with reading comprehension can learn how to use a formal tool in order to assist them with texts that are tough for them. As I was learning about the checklist, I couldn't help but feel a hint of regret that I did not have it available to me in high school and college!
    Malka I.
  • This course has changed the way that I approach reading. This will make preparing for class easier for myself. I will pass this roadmap to success in reading on to my students. In fact I copied the "roadmap" and will give it to students prior to our first reading.
    Richard W.
  • This course has strengthened my belief in the importance of reading to learning, especially in the area of social studies. I think this course also refreshed my understanding of the importance of context and prior knowledge to understanding. I am going to try and focus on these key concepts this year.
    Matthew C.
  • I found several activities to be extremely helpful. It not only allows me to see which concepts the student thinks are central, I can also gain insight into which students are having difficulty with comprehending, vocabulary etc. This course has provided a solid tool to allow children the ability to self monitor and control their reading comprehension. It definitely filled a gap in taking the class lesson techniques and making them accessible to the student on an independent level. The goal of reading should be to create a life-long love of reading. By helping to keep students focused and organized, these strategies and the checklist, remove a level of frustration. I have really gained useful strategies that I am anxious to try out this year!
    Theresa G.
  • For me, this course has really opened my eyes to the importance of pre-reading discussions. This tool will help focus student attention and ease anxiety about answering questions. The reading checklist encourages students to become involved in the reading process. It helps to make reading less intimidating and more manageable.
    Victoria C.
  • I enjoyed the course content and plan on using some things I have learned in future lessons. The readings and activities were both challenging and helpful.
    Chris S.
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$39 for 5 Hours
1 Certificate
5 Year Access

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