A 21st-Century Interdisciplinary Approach Leveraging AI and Technology to Enhance Reading Levels in the Philadelphia School District References

The synthesis produced four primary findings: Personalized Learning through AI: AI-powered platforms adapt instruction to individual student needs, predict learning difficulties, and provide targeted interventions (Kosmas et al., 2025). For students with dyslexia, AI reading assistants improved comprehension and engagement (Zhao et al., 2025; Thaqi et al., 2024); Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design: Embedding literacy instruction across science, social studies, and mathematics fosters authentic application of reading skills. Generative AI supports text leveling and nonfiction comprehension in disciplinary contexts (Sutton & Lee, 2024); Technology-Enhanced Literacy Instruction: Digital platforms encourage collaborative reading and writing. Attention-driven read-aloud technology improved comprehension by 24% among struggling readers (Schiavo et al., 2021); Teacher Empowerment through Professional Development: The PASS program equips educators with technical and pedagogical knowledge to integrate AI effectively (Penn GSE & SDP, 2024). By reducing administrative burdens and supporting differentiation, AI allows teachers to prioritize relationships and individualized support.