Welcome to Secondary Literacy Collective

Hello, and welcome! My name is Catherine Sauer, and I’m a proud graduate of Texas A&M University, where I earned my Master of Education in Reading and Literacy. I am a certified Reading Specialist in Texas. For the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching 7th and 8th grade reading and language arts at a Title I middle school in South Texas. Today, I’m continuing that work at a Title I high school, where my passion for literacy and the urgent need for it feel stronger than ever.

Throughout my teaching journey, I’ve watched students walk into my classroom carrying years of struggle, frustration, and self-doubt about reading. Many of them are bright, creative thinkers who simply never received the foundational instruction they needed to become confident readers. That gap doesn’t just affect their test scores; it affects their confidence, their motivation, and their belief that learning is even possible.

This website was born out of that reality.

I created this space to share ideas, resources, and reflections on literacy instruction at the secondary level, a topic that is too often overlooked in education research and professional development. The conversation about the Science of Reading has exploded in recent years, but most of that work focuses on early elementary grades. Meanwhile, thousands of middle and high school students are sitting in classrooms unable to decode, comprehend, or write fluently. As secondary teachers, we’re expected to teach analysis and rhetoric to students who still struggle to read basic text.

We need more research, dialogue, and practical strategies designed specifically for older readers.

My mission here is to bridge that gap and connect what we know from cognitive science and reading research to what’s actually happening in middle and high school classrooms. I want to explore what it looks like to implement structured literacy, teach morphology, and build reading fluency in ways that respect both the developmental needs and the dignity of adolescent learners.

Whether you’re a teacher, instructional coach, literacy leader, or researcher, I hope this space serves as a hub for collaboration and inspiration. Together, we can build classrooms where every student, regardless of background or reading level, can access grade-level learning and rediscover what it means to love reading again.

Thank you for being here. I’m just getting started, and I’m excited to share this journey with you.

Warmly,
Catherine Sauer, M.Ed.
Reading Specialist & English Teacher