Evidence suggests secondary teachers are increasingly in need of strategies to support students' literacy development, particularly in the area of reading. Secondary teachers however, are typically trained to be, and often see themselves as, disciplinary experts rather than literacy teachers. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an appropriate model for adolescent readers. This paper draws on two research projects focused on improving literacy learning in the secondary context. Short vignettes describe each school context and outline the approaches used to support their students. Findings show strategies to improve and support students' literacy learning, particularly reading, need to be student-centred and appropriate for adolescents rather than a 'top-down' approach. A whole school, collaborative approach that acknowledges the distinct needs and strength of students is shared.