The ability to read proficiently is a fundamental life skill that impacts an individual’s academic, career, and personal success. Yet in recent years, reading achievement scores have indicated a growing literacy crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools are being called upon to transform their literacy instruction by implementing the science of reading – a research-based approach emphasizing phonics, reading fluency, and word attack skills. This article will provide an overview of the science of reading, examine schools that had catastrophic reading failure, and discuss effective implementation strategies, including school-wide usage of phonics and fluency assessments, intensive teacher training in structured literacy, and a robust multi-tiered system of support with intervention specialists trained in the science of reading principles. For older students, academic vocabulary and morphology instruction should supplement foundational skills. When implemented effectively, the science of reading approach can dramatically improve literacy outcomes and transform schools into incubators of proficient, lifelong readers.
Introduction (5 mins)- Explain that today's lesson will focus on improving reading comprehension through the science of reading. The science of reading emphasizes teaching foundational reading skills like phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and fluency to build strong readers.Phonics Practice (10 mins)- Do a short phonics activity focused on a phonics skill students are currently learning, like blending or segmenting sounds in words. Quick activities could include flashcards, listening for sounds, or reading and writing words.Vocabulary Instruction (10 mins)- Introduce 2-3 new vocabulary words that are relevant to the science passage students will read. Give student-friendly definitions, have students repeat the words, and provide examples of using the words in sentences.Science Passage (15 mins)- Have students read a science-focused reading passage at their instructional reading level. Stop occasionally to check for understanding and clarify vocabulary.Comprehension Questions (10 mins)- After reading, ask students comprehension questions about the passage. Use literal who/what/when/where questions as well as inferential questions that require deeper thinking.Discussion (5 mins)- Discuss the passage as a class. Have students share what they learned, interesting facts they read, and make connections to prior knowledge on the topic.Independent Practice (5 mins)- Provide a short independent activity to practice the comprehension strategy focused on in the lesson. This could be another short reading passage with comprehension questions.
The Science of Reading: An Evidence-Based Approach
The science of reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of research that provides empirical evidence on how humans learn to read, why some struggle, and which instructional approaches are most effective (Lyon & Chhabra, 2004). Grounded in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics, the science of reading has definitively identified phonological processing as the core weakness in most reading disabilities (Vellutino et al., 2004). Phonological processing refers to understanding the sound structure of oral language, including detecting rhymes, blending sounds into words, and breaking words into constituent phonemes. Extensive research has proven that mastering the alphabetic code through explicit, systematic phonics instruction is essential for proficient reading development (Piasta & Wagner, 2010; Magnolia Consulting, 2020). When phonics programs teach both phonological awareness and print concepts sequentially, systematically, and explicitly, they produce significant positive impacts on reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension (NRP, 2000).
In addition to phonics, other foundational pillars of science-aligned reading instruction include vocabulary, oral language development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Fluency - the ability to read quickly, accurately, and with expression – has been shown to have a reciprocal relationship with reading comprehension (Pikulski & Chard, 2005). Readers must recognize the vast majority of words effortlessly in order to allocate their finite cognitive resources to meaning-making. Finally, science-based reading programs follow a scope and sequence to build knowledge of high utility academic vocabulary words that commonly appear in complex grade-level texts (Cervetti & Hiebert, 2015). In sum, the science of reading provides a comprehensive roadmap for teaching foundational skills systematically, then developing fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in an integrated fashion.
Schools with Reading Crisis: From Whole Language to Science of Reading
Many schools have experienced literacy crisis and catastrophic reading failure over the past several decades. A seminal study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that only 32% of fourth graders were proficient in reading in 2019, meaning over two-thirds could not comprehend grade-level texts (NAEP, 2019). Shockingly, scores were lower than two decades prior, suggesting whole-language and balanced literacy approaches prevalent in many schools had failed to produce readers ready for college and career.
Whole language methodology emphasizes using context and guessing at words, rather than phonics decoding (Rosenshine, 2020). Balanced literacy utilizes whole language “cueing systems” in conjunction with some phonics, but lacks systematic instruction. Under these approaches, many students – especially those with reading disabilities – were essentially being taught to memorize words, rather than learning to decipher the written code via phonics (Willingham, 2017). Once COVID-19 forced extended school closures, the lack of phonics left many students unable to sound out unknown words while reading at home (Kuhfeld et al., 2020).
In response to dismal NAEP results and growing literacy crisis intensified by the pandemic, schools are turning to the science of reading to dramatically transform outcomes. Structured literacy, Orton-Gillingham, and other science-aligned programs are replacing outdated “cueing” approaches. Teacher training programs, such as the Science of Reading Academy by Curriculum Associates, are equipping teachers with the knowledge and tools to deliver systematic, explicit phonics instruction. Schools implementing the science of reading with fidelity are making tremendous gains in achievement.
Effective Implementation of the Science of Reading in Schools
Successfully transforming a school into a science of reading aligned culture requires buy-in, high-quality materials, intensive teacher training, data-driven differentiation, and a culture embracing the science of reading principles. Following are key strategies for effective implementation:
School-Wide Assessments: Schools must regularly assess students in foundational skills to identify deficits and progress monitor growth. For example, universal screening in phonological awareness, phonics, high frequency words, and oral reading fluency should occur at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Popular phonics assessments include the CORE Phonics Survey, Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency, and the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI). Curriculum-based measures for oral reading fluency should also be conducted regularly.
Structured Literacy Teacher Training: All K-2 teachers, reading specialists, and interventionists should be formally trained in the science of reading through a research-based program. Training should include the components of language, the phonological skills critical for decoding, application of phonics, and assessment/data analysis (IDA, 2018). Programs like the 95 Percent Group Orton-Gillingham, Wilson’s Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness Phonics and Sight Words (SIPPS), and Neuhaus use principles aligned to the science of reading.
High-Quality Core Literacy Curricula: The foundational skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing components must be aligned to reading science. Programs for grades K-2 should include explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics and word study, high utility vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and reading fluency. Decodable texts that practice phonics patterns are essential. Popular core curricula include SIPPS, Open Court, and Curriculum Associate’s Wonders.
Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS): A robust MTSS framework is critical for differentiation. Students are grouped by ability for phonics and reading fluency instruction. Interventionists push-in or pull-out small groups for repeated reading, phonics, and word study practice. Reading disabilities necessitate 1:1 tutoring in phonological awareness and structured literacy. Data determines movement between tiers.
Academic Language and Morphology for Older Students: Upper elementary and secondary students require less phonics instruction and more academic vocabulary, morphemic analysis, etymology, and fluency work. Greek and Latin affixes and roots should be explicitly taught to expand word knowledge. Students can learn to decode morphologically complex words like “photosynthesis” by analyzing component morphemes like “photo” and “synthesis”. Wide reading of diverse texts builds vocabulary.
Culture Embracing the Science of Reading: Administrators and teachers must embrace reading science and structured literacy as fundamental to their school’s mission. Science of reading practices should be thoroughly embedded into curricula, MTSS, assessments, and culture. Parents may need education on the “why” behind programs. With a culture of science-aligned instruction, schools can profoundly transform outcomes.
The fruits of implementing the science of reading with fidelity have been evidenced at schools across the country. One standout example is Jackson Elementary School in Bethlehem, PA. After adopting a structured literacy approach emphasizing systematic phonics, student scores on the state reading assessment rocketed from 49% proficient to 86% proficient in just four years – even with significant poverty and diversity (Hanford, 2019). The Mississippi legislature mandated science of reading training for all K-5 teachers, leading to astounding phonics and fluency gains statewide (Campbell, 2018). At scale, effective science of reading implementation has tremendous potential to resolve the literacy crisis and transform outcomes for millions of students.
Conclusion
For decades, literacy rates have been on a downward trajectory, exacerbated by unsound reading practices. Schools Must leverage the science of reading to build policy, instruction, assessment, and teacher development around the empirically proven foundational skills - phonological processing, fluency, and vocabulary - needed to proficiently extract meaning from text. With intensive teacher training in structured literacy, high-quality phonics-centered curricula, robust data analysis, and a culture embracing the science of reading, schools can dramatically transform students into successful readers, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning and growth.
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