If you’re in education, I’m sure you’ve been hearing about the “Science of Reading” a lot recently! Many Facebook groups, Instagram accounts, and TikTok videos are dedicated to this idea. But what exactly is The Science of Reading? Is it a specific program that teachers should be following? While I don’t claim to be an expert, this post will help to at least answer some of the common questions about the Science of Reading!
What Is the Science of Reading?
Simply put, the Science of Reading is a comprehensive body of research examining how we learn to read. Along with that, it establishes the essential skills for learning to read and best instructional practices for teaching students those skills. Contrary to what some people think, it is NOT a specific program or pacing guide for teachers to follow.
What Does the Science Tell Us?
The research surrounding the Science of Reading supports the simple view of reading model. This states that reading comprehension is a product of decoding and language comprehension. These concepts are further broken down into fundamental skills through Scarborough’s Reading Rope. But what skills and instructional practices should we be implementing with our students? Keep reading to discover those answers!
What Skills Do Students Need?
Essentially the necessary skills for learning to read consist of these 5 components:
- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
There is so much to address with each of these components that cannot be adequately explored within this overview post. There are additional resources provided at the end of the post to further expand on your knowledge of how to effectively teach these skills.
How Should We Teach Those Skills?
Educators should teach these skills using a Structured Literacy Approach as opposed to the Balanced Reading Approach.
Components of Structured Literacy
- Explicit – Teachers should provide explicit instruction by clearly and directly explaining the skills followed by guided practice.
- Systematic and Cumulative – Introduce skills systematically as they build off of on another following a scope and sequence of skills that progress from easier to more difficult.
- Hands-on, Engaging, and Multimodal – Enhance students’ memory and mastery of the skills through multimodal Instruction. These multi-sensory strategies involve visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic activities.
- Diagnostic and Responsive – Teachers use formative assessments and progress monitoring to make informed decisions about the instructional pace and sequence.
Where Can I Learn More about The Science of Reading?
This post simply serves as a brief summary and basic introduction to the Science of Reading. There is so much more to understand about the complex processes and skills required to help students learn how to read. I’ve compiled resources that have benefited me in my journey of learning more about the Science of Reading. You may also want to continue expanding your knowledge and understanding with these resources:
Professional Books
You may also want to check out my post for a more comprehensive list of Science of Reading Professional Books to get you started in your learning journey.
- Equipped for Reading Success by David Kilpatrick
- Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read by Stanislas Dehaene
- Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates
- Know Better, Do Better by David & Meredith Liben
This post includes affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase.
Online Resources
- IMSE Journal
- The Reading League
- International Dyslexia Association
- Louisa Moats Webinars
- The Literacy Nest
Instagram Accounts to Follow
In addition to these resources, you may also be interested in my list of Science of Reading materials you need to begin this instruction. Do you have additional questions or resources you have found beneficial? Share them in the comments below!
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