Evidence suggests that there is a crisis in adolescent literacy. Part of the problem is that students often receive little literacy instruction after elementary school. This "Focus On" examines the literacy instruction that adolescents need to be successful as they move on to more challenging texts in middle and high school. In addition, this publication reviews teaching strategies that can be used to develop literacy skills in all classrooms. The characteristics of effective adolescent literacy programs, struggling readers, and ways of motivating students to read are discussed. (Contains 6 web resources.)