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Finally, A Reading Solution Built for Middle and High School Students

Other reading programs for teens offer leveled texts and tests. Zinc teaches students what to DO when reading—so they can comprehend as texts get more complex, and you can focus on teaching.

How Zinc Builds Stronger, More Independent Readers

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Starts at the
Right Level

Identifies each student’s starting point and provides appropriately challenging, age-respectful reading experiences.

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Teaches What to DO
While Reading

Shows students what to do when meaning begins to break down—and gives them repeated opportunities to practice.

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Builds Motivation through
Progress and Choice

Student choice, relevant texts and visible wins help readers build confidence and take on greater challenges.

Beyond “I Don't Like to Read”:
Building a Classroom of Readers Through Love-Powered Effort

Moderated by:

When a student says, “I don’t like to read,” the problem may go deeper than motivation.

If you missed our September webinar, you can still access the recording to explore how to help students stay connected to complex texts, persist through challenge, and grow into more confident, motivated readers.

See What Students Experience in Zinc

Why Schools Choose Zinc

Works Across a Wide Range
of Readers

Group of diverse high school students sitting at a table in a library, engaging in conversation and reading with open books and notebooks.

Automatically differentiates reading experiences from 3rd grade through college-level while preserving access to meaningful, age-respectful content.

Strengthens the Reading
You’re Already Teaching

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Use Zinc alongside core instruction, intervention, test preparation or independent reading. Flexible assignments support a whole class, a small group or an individual student.

Makes Growth Visible

A young man smiling with his arm raised in a classroom or study space, with other students and laptops visible in the background.

Students see evidence of their progress, while educators gain insight into participation, needs and instructional next steps.

What Happens When Students Know What to Do

  • “Since implementing Zinc, our 8th-grade scores on the Colorado Achievement Test have skyrocketed, and my test results are consistently among the highest in the district.”

    —Nick Brummer, 8th-grade ELA Lead Teacher, Eagle Valley Middle School, CO

  • “Zinc solved the problems of student fear of big words and boredom with reading. Vocab engages students, and the close reading teaches them how to understand tough reads.”

    —Whitney Ann Lewis, SAT/ACT prep, Horry County, SC

  • “In August, 86% of my 9th-grade students were below grade level (60% were below 4th-grade level). By November, 53% were up at least one grade level and 30% were up by at least TWO grade levels!”

    —Priscilla Barrera, English 1 Lead Teacher, IDEA San Juan College Prep, TX

  • “A lot of my students said that this was the first time someone’s teaching them HOW to read, instead of just telling them to read.”

    —Michaela Morris, 10th grade English Teacher, Fresno, CA

  • “Our reading scores have been going down. Kids just don’t seem to have the stamina to keep reading. We really liked how Zinc Ignition builds that ability to focus through engaging them in close reading.”

    —Shannon Schumacher, Instructional Coach, Campbell County, KY

Ready to Explore Zinc?

I’m a Teacher

Try Zinc with your students. Complete our free, one-hour training series to unlock free Explorer accounts for all your classes.

  • Free one-hour async professional learning

  • Free Explorer accounts for all your students

  • Zinc Journeys access for your class

  • Growth reporting and standards alignment

I’m a School or District Leader

Support your school or district with the full range of Zinc features, including:

  • Comprehensive content libraries

  • Additional assessments and test-prep programs

  • Teacher-assigned content connected to classroom instruction

  • Enhanced reporting and instructional tools

Help more students become
strong, confident readers.