How One Junior High Teacher Led Her 8th Grade Students to an Average 2.5 Year Reading Gain This Year

Q&A with Shelly Hankins, Reading Teacher at Highland East Junior High, Moore Public Schools

When veteran educator Shelly Hankins was asked to implement Reading Horizons Elevate to her 7th and 8th grade students, she hesitated. She’d been teaching reading the same way since 1999. But once she saw her students’ confidence and scores rise, her apprehension gave way, and now she’s seen one of her most impactful seasons of her teaching career.

Q: What were your thoughts when first introduced to Reading Horizons?

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I’d been in my groove for years. Shannon Woodson, Assistant Superintendent, Moore Public Schools came to me and said, ‘These kids are going to need something strong.’ I went into the meeting open-minded but unsure. I’m so glad they encouraged me to use the program—because it’s been amazing. I can’t imagine not having done it.”

Q: What was your classroom like at the beginning of the year?

“Some students didn’t even know all of their letter sounds. And we’re talking 7th and 8th graders. You assume that’s behind them, but it wasn’t. I was surprised, and even many of them were surprised. We had to start there. But we built from it—and what they’ve accomplished since is just incredible.”

Q: How did you get ‘all’ of your students to buy into learning this way?

“At first, they didn’t get it. They’d say, ‘Why are we doing letter sounds? We’re not in kindergarten.’ But I told them, ‘You can’t build a house without a strong foundation. If you already know something, great. But if not, we’ll fill in the gaps and make that foundation strong—so you can build on it and succeed in high school.’ That clicked. They bought in. They trusted the process—and we all saw it work.”

Q: What kind of reading gains have you seen with Reading Horizons Elevate?

“The growth has been huge. In my 8th grade class, the average reading level increase was 2.5 years. Every student grew at least 1.2 years, and most had gains between 2–3 years. One student went from a 5.6 to an 11th grade reading level. Anything over a year is great—but this? This was life-changing.”

Q: What helps keep students engaged day-to-day?

“It was absolutely without a doubt the competition. I turn everything into a game—whiteboards, races, competitions. These kids are competitive! When we play, they want to win, and that’s when the learning really sticks. Even the students who didn’t think they needed the class got into it once they saw how much they could learn and improve.”

Q: Can you share what a typical instructional flow is in your classroom?

“We start with 5–10 minutes of independent reading to build stamina. Then I teach a lesson—sometimes a whole group, sometimes small group—followed by games, fluency work, and proving words on the whiteboard. It’s structured, but I adjust as needed. I use Reading Horizons Elevate materials alongside leveled passages I’ve collected over the years.”

Q: How do you help students transfer decoding skills to real-world reading?

“We go from proving words to applying them in passages. I focus on fluency and comprehension, but I also talk to them about stamina—how it’s tough to read in a general ed class when your level is far behind. We built up little by little, and by the end of the year, they all were confidently reading long words they used to avoid.”

Q: What would you say to a teacher who’s hesitant to try Reading Horizons?

“I get it—I’ve been there. Trust yourself. This program changed my students’ lives. They’re proud of their growth. And I’m proud of them. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’m so thankful I was open to change.”

Shelly is a testament to the power of instructional courage. Her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and leverage Reading Horizons Elevate created the kind of ripple effect every school hopes for: ignited engagement, restored confidence, and remarkable reading gains.