Discussion is a well-known tool for promoting reading comprehension in secondary-level English classes for students at all levels of reading skill, especially when the discussion promotes argumentation. However, researchers know little about how struggling readers use discussion, mainly because low-track English classes have tended to focus on direct instruction. In this study, we examine how high school students deemed in need of intense reading intervention responded to a discussion-focused literature unit. Our results indicate that discussion can facilitate multifaceted reading activity among students who struggle to meet school-based expectations for literacy success, providing them with opportunities to engage in reasoned argument.