Special Education Books for Tweens

Special Education

Students in special education programs have a wide range of disabilities and needs, and Saddleback's collection for tweens in grades 4 to 8 reflects that range. TwERL Phonics and TwERL, part of the Tween Emergent Reader Libraries®, give striving readers two paths into reading: structured phonics instruction or a sight-words-based approach, both at emergent and beginning reader levels. The GO! SEL Tween Literacy Library® rounds out the collection with social-emotional learning content built around looking within yourself and looking beyond yourself. Together, these give teachers products that meet a diverse range of student needs.

Phonics-Based Solutions

TwERL Phonics, part of the Tween Emergent Reader Libraries®, was developed specifically for striving readers in grades 4 to 8 who are still building their decoding skills, and it also works well for newcomers with no prior English instruction. The books are written at emergent and beginning reader levels and carefully sequenced, from CVC words through long vowels, consonant digraphs, vowel diphthongs, and multisyllabic words. Full-color photos and tween-centric storylines across a range of genres keep the content age-appropriate for special education classrooms.

GO! Decode [1]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 0.5 to 0.9
Lexile: BR90L to HL110L

GO! Develop [2]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 0.9 to 1.3
Lexile: BR to HL180L

GO! Discover [3]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 1.2 to 1.6
Lexile: HL20L to HL200L

Sight Words-Based Solutions

Like its teen counterpart, Teen Emergent Reader Libraries® (TERL), the Tween Emergent Reader Libraries® motivates striving readers to pick up a book, start reading, and keep reading. This three-book collection is written at emergent and beginning reader levels, with topics and genres chosen for upper elementary and middle school interest, so students in special education programs find books that feel age-appropriate rather than aimed at younger readers.

GO! Emerge [1]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 0 to 0.5
Lexile: BR to HL20L

GO! Engage [2]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 0.6 to 1.0
Lexile: BR to HL130L

GO! Excel [3]

Grades: 4 to 8
Reading Level: 1.1 to 1.5
Lexile: HL80L to HL170L

SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of looking within yourself and beyond yourself to build emotional health and social skills. Strong SEL instruction supports academic achievement, better behavior, and greater resilience and self-confidence for striving tween readers. Saddleback's GO! SEL Tween Literacy Library and Social Emotional Tween Stories give students narrative-driven SEL content to read independently or in the classroom, whether you're building a full SEL block or want a lighter starting point. Emotion Vocabulary Cards and Emoti-Cards® round out the collection with hands-on tools for naming and discussing feelings, useful in advisory periods, small groups, or as a daily check-in routine.