Over the last decade, the science of reading has evolved from a growing movement to an established best practice. Since 2013, over 40 states have passed laws that aim to revamp literacy instruction and ensure that it is aligned with evidence-based best practices.
Although the science of reading was, for many years, considered a partisan issue, in recent years it has been adopted by red and blue states alike.
Despite this policy consensus, many districts and schools are just beginning to grapple with the seismic shift that the science of reading has brought in the way we teach. Although many school systems have invested in training for teachers and leaders, instructional practices still vary widely.
In order to guarantee effective, evidence-based reading instruction for all students, we must shift focus and funding to support implementation.
Specifically, addressing the following priorities will help teachers and school systems fully adopt scientifically based reading instruction:
- Giving teachers access to high-quality instructional materials.
- Implementing an accurate reading assessment process.
- Showing teachers what it looks and sounds like in practice.
Let’s do a refresh on the science of reading and then take a look at how education systems can move forward with each implementation priority.
What is the science of reading?
Simply put, it’s a body of research that explains how children learn to read and write. This research shows that while some children do pick up reading easily, many need carefully sequenced, explicit instruction in foundational literacy skills.
This includes phonics—the relationship between letters and sounds in language—while also emphasizing the importance of background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures and verbal reasoning.
Over the past three decades, an approach known as balanced literacy has dominated reading instruction. Although this approach includes some phonics, the instruction is less structured, with letter-sound relationships being introduced as they come up in stories rather than in a sequence designed to build foundational skills.
The science of reading didn’t start to become widely implemented until 2019, and the movement gained significant momentum as states searched for ways to regain lost learning during the pandemic.
Now that most states have mandated instruction aligned to the science of reading, it’s time to shift our focus on what school systems and teachers need to be able to implement structured literacy effectively.
Priority 1: Giving teachers access to high-quality instructional materials
A key lever to change instruction is to ensure teachers utilize instructional materials aligned to best practices. While at least 30 states have adopted literacy legislation related to curriculum, and the market has been flooded with science-of-reading-aligned programs, there are still significant gaps in practice.
Adopting instructional materials is often one of the largest academic expenditures that a school system makes. For that reason, many districts have an adoption cycle that allows them to purchase materials for one content area each year.
Because many school systems cannot afford to immediately adopt a new reading curriculum, it is common for teachers to supplement their core materials with phonics and phonemic awareness curricula. While this approach can be effective, teachers need clear guidance for how and when to use each resource with their students.
Even when teachers have access to high-quality instructional materials, they don’t always use them. Many school administrators lament closets full of new materials, still unused. To implement new instructional programs, teachers need significant training and opportunities to internalize units and lessons.
Priority 2: Implementing an accurate reading assessment process
Because every child learns to read at a different pace, effective assessment systems are key to high-quality reading instruction. This is compounded by the fact that many students in America are reading well below grade level, meaning they need targeted interventions to be successful.
Accurately assessing children’s ability to read often requires close observation and one-on-one oral assessment, particularly when they’re young and their reading ability is only emerging. Implementing these assessments effectively requires training, adjusted staffing and scheduling, and ongoing support to ensure the data is comprehensive and valid.
In many cases, teachers get data on students’ reading abilities from multiple sources, including mandated screeners, diagnostics, ongoing progress monitoring and feedback from digital programs.
Yet, even with this data, they often do not have the training or the time necessary to analyze it effectively. Training and effective systems are needed to turn this data into action.
Priority 3: Showing teachers what it looks and sounds like in practice
Finally, even after they’ve been through training and received new instructional materials and assessment tools, teachers need to see what it all looks like when put together.
In order for teachers to implement a new strategy in the classroom, they need to:
- Understand the theory
- See the strategy modeled
- Practice the strategy and receive feedback
- Engage in instructional coaching
In many school systems, teachers only learn the theory behind the science of reading, without opportunities for modeling, practice, feedback or ongoing coaching. To genuinely ensure that all students receive instruction aligned with the science, states must prioritize funding for coaching that includes ongoing modeling, observation and feedback.
