Embedded Reading: A Powerful Strategy to Boost Comprehension and Confidence with Laurie Clarcq and Michele Whaley

Have you ever handed your students a reading passage, only to watch their eyes glaze over in frustration? Or maybe you’ve heard the dreaded “This is too hard!” before they even attempt to read? You’re not alone. As language teachers, we want our students to feel confident when reading because we understand the power of reading.  However, often, traditional reading approaches leave them feeling overwhelmed or disengaged.

That’s where Embedded Reading comes in—a powerful strategy that scaffolds reading in a way that makes texts more accessible, engaging, and effective for language acquisition.

In the latest episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Laurie Clarcq and Michelle Whaley, two incredible educators who pioneered Embedded Reading. We dove deep into how this strategy works, why it’s a game-changer for students of all proficiency levels, and how you can start using it in your classroom today.

What is Embedded Reading?

At its core, Embedded Reading is a technique that provides students with multiple versions of the same text, gradually increasing in complexity. The goal is to build reading confidence and comprehension by exposing students to a simple version first, then layering in more details and complexity in subsequent versions.

For example, if you were using Embedded Reading to introduce Cinderella, the first version might say:

👉 There is a girl. She is poor. She wants to go to a dance.

The second version would expand:

👉 There is a girl named Cinderella. She lives with her stepmother and stepsisters. She is poor and wears old clothes. She wants to go to a dance at the castle, but her stepmother says no.

The final version would continue adding details, building up the full story while reinforcing comprehension.

This step-by-step approach allows students to process information gradually, reducing cognitive overload and increasing confidence in their ability to read in the target language.

You can create embedded readings from the bottom up or from the top down. 

Why Embedded Reading Works

Laurie and Michelle shared why Embedded Reading is so effective in language acquisition:

✔️ Builds Confidence – Students start with a simple text they can easily understand, making them feel successful right away. This positive experience motivates them to continue reading.

✔️ Supports All Learners – Whether you have novice, intermediate, or heritage speakers in your class, Embedded Reading allows for differentiation. More advanced students can start with later versions, while beginners start with the base version.

✔️ Encourages Curiosity – Because each new version adds more details, students naturally want to discover what happens next. This keeps them engaged and excited to read more.

✔️ Strengthens Reading Stamina – Many students struggle with reading longer passages in another language. By gradually increasing text length, Embedded Reading helps them build stamina and fluency.

✔️ Reinforces Vocabulary & Structures – Instead of overwhelming students with unfamiliar words, this technique helps them see familiar words in new contexts, deepening their understanding and retention.

How to Use Embedded Reading in Your Class

Laurie and Michelle outlined a simple step-by-step approach to implement Embedded Reading successfully:

1️⃣ Choose or create a compelling text – Select a story, article, or authentic text that aligns with your students’ interests. Start by simplifying it into a short, comprehensible base version.

2️⃣ Gradually expand the text – Add more details and complexity with each new version, ensuring students feel supported but also challenged.

3️⃣ Use engaging pre- and post-reading activities – Build anticipation with activities like picture talks, character predictions, or acting out key scenes. After reading, reinforce comprehension with sketching, sequencing, or summarizing activities.  Click here to see many more examples of activities. 

4️⃣ Let students interact with the text in multiple ways – Choral reading, acting, translating, and discussing key details all help students process the language more deeply.

5️⃣ Celebrate success! – Highlight student progress by showing them how much they’ve read in the target language. This boosts their confidence and motivation.

Common Challenges & How to Overcome Them

Like any strategy, Embedded Reading comes with a learning curve. Here are some common challenges teachers face—and solutions to tackle them:

🚧 “My students get bored reading the same story multiple times.”
💡 Solution: Use different activities for each version! Try a read-aloud for the first, partner reading for the second, and a class dramatization for the final version.

🚧 “It takes too much time to create multiple versions.”
💡 Solution: Start small! Even two versions of a text can make a difference. You can also modify existing readings instead of creating everything from scratch.

🚧 “My advanced students find it too easy.”
💡 Solution: Let them start with a higher-level version or add in discussion-based activities that push them to analyze and express opinions.

🚧 “My struggling students still feel overwhelmed.”
💡 Solution: Pre-teach key vocabulary and offer additional scaffolding, like pictures or gestures, to help them feel more confident before tackling the next version.

Bringing Embedded Reading to Your Classroom

If you’re ready to try Embedded Reading but aren’t sure where to start, Laurie and Michelle have created a free guide with step-by-step instructions and examples to help you implement this approach.

📥 Download your guide here: www.growingwithproficiency.com/podcastER

And if you still have questions, don’t worry! Laurie and Michelle are hosting a free webinar to walk you through the process and answer all your questions. 🗓️ Vote for your preferred date here: tinyurl.com/webinarER

Also, you can find them in the summer of 2025 at CI for Beginners in Oregon. Click here for more information about that. 

Final Thoughts

Embedded Reading is a transformative strategy that can help all students feel successful, confident, and engaged with reading in the target language. Whether you’re teaching novices or advanced learners, this approach provides a structured way to make reading feel accessible and rewarding.

I encourage you to give Embedded Reading a try in your classroom! And if you do, I’d love to hear how it goes. Share your experience in the Growing With Proficiency Facebook Community, or tag me on social media!

🎙️ Listen to the full episode here.