Rigorous Learning
The science of reading is a research-based approach to helping students build the literacy skills vital to reading comprehension, critical thinking, and connection across topics.
Overview
The science of reading refers to the evidence-based pedagogy shown to effectively teach children how to read. Interdisciplinary researchers and educators have asked and tested research questions for decades to better understand the relationship between literacy instruction and student reading outcomes. Science-of-reading-based pedagogy and instruction takes a structured approach to helping students become skilled, fluent readers who are able to make meaning by connecting what they have read with what they already know, and thinking about this information until it is understood.
Though the science of reading currently lacks a common formal definition, decades of evidence suggests that it hinges upon the Simple View of Reading model (Gough & Tunmer, 1986), which helps explain the relationship between decoding and skilled reading. This empirically based framework shows us that reading comprehension is the product of two components: word recognition and language comprehension (WR x LC = RC). In other words, children need to be able to both sound out a word and decipher the meaning of the word in order to understand what they’ve just read. If either of these skills are weak, reading comprehension is low.
The image, courtesy of the author, originally appeared in the following publication: Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97–110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
A helpful way to visualize how these skills work to reinforce each other is Scarborough’s Reading Rope (2001). Developed by literacy expert Dr. Hollis Scarborough, the Reading Rope shows how reading comprehension consists of word recognition strands that bind together to build accuracy and fluency and language comprehension strands that reinforce one another, before weaving together to produce skilled readers.
The National Reading Panel (2000) —a group of reading researchers, faculty from colleges of education, reading teachers, educational administrators, and parents—identified five key research-based pillars that effectively help children learn to read:
- Phonemic awareness: the understanding that spoken words are made up of separate units of sound that are blended together when words are pronounced
- Phonics: the breakdown of words into sounds and syllables, which allows readers to decode words as they read
- Fluency: the ability to read accurately, quickly, and with proper expression across connected texts (i.e., sentences, paragraphs, and full passages)
- Vocabulary: the explicit integration of vocabulary instruction to help build students’ recognition of words
- Text comprehension: the product of being able to recognize and understand words. In other words, comprehension happens when the words become ideas. Comprehension is the final goal of literacy instruction.
Phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency are skills that help readers learn word recognition skills, while vocabulary and text comprehension contribute to language comprehension development. These components build on each other to help readers establish the foundational skills they need to comprehend the text they’re engaging with.
A large recent cultural shift towards the science of reading has led to more educators introducing explicit and dedicated phonics instruction in early grades to build and solidify foundational literacy skills.
Classrooms that integrate science-of-reading-informed curricula and practices bring varied activities that map onto each of the five pillars, including activities such as:
- Explicit and systematic phonics instruction, in which letter-sound relationships are directly taught and in a clearly defined scope and sequence.
- Interactive read-aloud lessons that allow teachers to scaffold understanding of text, model fluency, and teach vocabulary and new concepts.
- Sound walls inside the classroom that reinforce phonemic awareness and phonics instruction by helping students focus on the articulation of sounds and letters/letter patterns that represent the phonemes in words. Many of these walls also include images of a child’s mouth next to each sound so students can practice the way their mouth feels, looks, and acts when pronouncing sounds, which makes the learning more concrete.
- Leveraging the mind-body connection, which includes listening, speaking, reading, and a tactile or kinesthetic activity to focus and reinforce the phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary being taught. As a bonus, students usually find these multi-sensory reading experiences, such as assigning gestures to specific sounds and spelling words in shaving cream, to be engaging and motivating.
- Word games that help students practice their literacy skills in novel ways, such as creating alliterative sentences and rhyming games, serve to reinforce direct literacy instruction while building vocabulary and fluency.
References
Gough, P.B. and Tunmer, W.E. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/074193258600700104
Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97–110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
The National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ pubs/nrp/Documents/report.pdf
What Makes This Innovative?
High Expectations with Unlimited Opportunities
Science-of-reading-based pedagogy, curricula, and practices help every student, including struggling readers and those diagnosed with dyslexia, become proficient readers.
Relevance
Effectively developing students’ foundational reading skills unlocks their potential to explore their individual interests and connect their schoolwork to their everyday lives.
Science of Reading Models on the Exchange
Explore models on The Innovative Models Exchange that have embraced the science of reading pedagogy, practices, and curriculum below.
Grades PK3-PK4
AppleTree Institute
Every Child Ready
The Every Child Ready instructional model is a comprehensive approach to early learning that involves a variety of daily learning routines all infused with purposeful play.
Grades PK3-PK4
AppleTree Institute
Every Child Ready
Every Child Ready (ECR) is an evidence-based, comprehensive PK instructional model that helps children develop and maintain a deep love of learning and prepare for kindergarten. It is rooted in seven guiding principles that shape children’s experiences , as well as the structures and decision-making that support implementation. Guiding Design Principles The ECR curriculum is built to be developmentally appropriate and diverse. It includes engaging thematic units with separate content for 3- and 4-year-olds, and it provides children with the opportunity to engage in multiple types of play while learning core academic concepts and developing social-emotional learning skills. It also supports concept development and rich vocabularies in young children.
The model is customizable to different contexts and is currently in four states across the country. It has demonstrated a range of positive impacts on children’s math and literacy skills as well as teacher performance. The model also provides various implementation supports to schools—including coaching, professional workshops, and digital resources—all aimed at ensuring that the school and classroom environment are equipped to successfully implement ECR.
Grades K-3
Groves Literacy Partnerships
Groves Literacy
Groves Literacy is an evidence-based K-3 literacy model that enables all students to learn to read, illuminating the path to enhanced literacy.
Grades K-3
Groves Literacy Partnerships
Groves Literacy
Groves Literacy Partnerships uses an evidence-based curriculum rooted in decades of literacy and brain research in order to help close opportunity gaps for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3. Interested and committed schools opt into the partnership, which supports a network of 70+ schools with implementing the Groves Literacy model. Partner schools integrate an explicit, systematic, multisensory, evidence-based curriculum that teaches reading fundamentals and addresses individual strengths and challenges.
Over the course of a three-year partnership, Groves provides schools with literacy curriculum materials, 30 minutes of weekly classroom coaching, lesson modeling and co-teaching, assistance with tracking progress, and ongoing professional development, with the goal of making each school site self-sufficient by certifying their own in-house literacy coach. This approach to sustainable literacy instruction helps develop reading and spelling skills for all students. Groves also offers Intermediate Intervention for students beginning in Grade 4 who need reading intervention support. Groves Literacy Partnership Overview An Introduction to Groves Literacy Partnerships
Grades K-8
Ignite! Reading
Ignite! Reading provides a one-on-one virtual high-dosage tutoring program grounded in the science of reading that teaches every student the foundational skills they need to become an independent, confident reader.
Grades K-8
Ignite! Reading
Ignite! Reading’s mission is to ensure that every student learns to read on time. Informed by the science of reading, Ignite delivers a one-on-one virtual tutoring program focused on teaching students foundational reading skills. Ignite tutors complete a 120+ hour certification program to become master reading instructors and pair with students all over the country to help them crack the code to become lifelong readers.
The model is designed to minimize the burden placed on teachers so that it can be easily and sustainably implemented during the school day and begin having an impact immediately. Curriculum-embedded diagnostic tools help determine where students fall on the continuum of learning to read before targeted one-on-one instruction begins. The ultimate goal of the Ignite! Reading model is to help students successfully build the foundational literacy skills necessary for them to become independent readers. Ignite! Reading Program Overview
Grades K-12
AIM Institute for Learning & Research
Integrated Literacy Model
AIM’s Integrated Literacy Model is a comprehensive framework designed to improve literacy outcomes for students of all abilities by helping teachers understand the science of reading and how to translate research into effective practices.
Grades K-12
AIM Institute for Learning & Research
Integrated Literacy Model
AIM’s Integrated Literacy Model (ILM) was designed to ensure that all students experience learning opportunities optimal for developing literacy skills. Recognizing that no single “off the shelf” program sufficiently addresses the continuum of skills necessary to develop proficient readers and writers, the ILM brings together evidence-based programs and initiatives aligned to six core instructional components. Additionally, the ILM leverages implementation science to give teachers the strategies they need to translate evidence-based literacy programs into practice within their classrooms faithfully and sustainably.
The Integrated Literacy Model was developed within AIM Academy, a research-to-practice school serving students with language-based learning differences. Currently, only AIM Academy implements the comprehensive model, while more than 14,000 teachers participate in AIM Institute’s Pathway Courses to learn select literacy practices that comprise the model. AIM Integrated Literacy Model Summary The AIM Pathways™ Difference
Grades K-12
The Literacy Architects
Literacy Masterminds
Literacy Masterminds supports student growth in literacy through the incorporation of evidence-based instructional routines into the daily classroom experience.
Grades K-12
The Literacy Architects
Literacy Masterminds
Literacy Masterminds drives growth and achievement in literacy by giving students access to targeted, evidence-based instructional routines designed to benefit those struggling with foundational reading skills such as phonemic awareness, decoding, or fluency. Literacy Masterminds offers three series, with Series 2 focusing specifically on accelerating reading growth through fluency for students in grades 3–12. By the end of this series, teachers have established a regular fluency routine that engages students via a mix of whole group, small group, partner, and independent practice.
Teachers learn these routines through a 12-week, flipped professional development model, during which they explore evidence-based literacy strategies on their own via an online platform before convening each week in remote, small-group PLCs to plan, reflect, and problem-solve. The model’s flipped design ensures that when teachers meet, the bulk of their time is spent collaborating meaningfully to apply the strategies to their specific context. Teachers can join as school cohorts, or they can join as individuals, which allows teachers to build community across schools and districts, share best practices, and ultimately feel less siloed.
Literacy Masterminds currently works with four districts across the country as well as with Teach for America Corps Members and Alumni from TFA D.C. and TFA Philadelphia. Literacy Masterminds Flyer
Kindergarten
Once
Once Early-Reading
The Once model teaches school support staff to implement high-dosage, one-on-one tutoring based in the science of reading, so that kindergarteners learn how to read fluently and independently.
Kindergarten
Once
Once Early-Reading
Once has developed a high-dosage, one-on-one reading-tutoring program for kindergarten students that is rooted in the science of reading and does not require certified teachers to implement. Existing school support staff are trained to deliver scripted reading lessons that explicitly and systematically introduce letter-sound correspondences and give students the opportunity to apply those when reading authentic, decodable texts. Students also practice deliberate writing activities related to the sounds they are learning each session. Each lesson is video recorded, so that the school staff member can receive feedback from a Once coach to continuously improve their tutoring instruction.
Once offers various supports to schools interested in implementing their model, from free resources to a deeper partnership.
Grades 1-8
Success For All Foundation
Success For All Tutoring
Success for All Tutoring is a research-proven literacy tutoring program offered through an easy-to-use web-based platform so that students can accelerate their reading skills.
Grades 1-8
Success For All Foundation
Success For All Tutoring
Success for All Tutoring is a research-proven literacy tutoring model designed specifically for below-level students in grades 1-8. The program offers two levels: “Tutoring with the Lightning Squad” for grades 1-3 and “Tutoring with ThemeReads” for grades 4-8, catering to the specific needs of different age groups.
Students work cooperatively in pairs, guided and monitored by their tutors, as they advance through activities to develop reading skills. Each 30-minute session allows tutors to effectively support up to six students, maximizing instructional time. With user-friendly software and comprehensive guides, tutors have the necessary tools to facilitate engaging sessions. Individualized reports track and display student progress at the student, class, and school levels, allowing for informed decision-making. At-home activities complement in-class learning and promote collaboration between students and parents.
Success for All provides extensive training and support for school-based tutors, ensuring they are well prepared to deliver effective instruction. The programs currently operate at 301 sites and serve 7,762 students.
Resources from Transcend and Beyond
The following resources can help deepen your understanding of the science of reading and support the design and implementation of a high-quality model, whether it’s one from The Innovative Models Exchange or one of your community designs.
Early Literacy Playbook
Instruction Partners
The Early Literacy Playbook equips educators with a game plan to implement evidence- based early literacy practices and deliver rigorous foundational reading skills instruction.
Lexia LETRS
Lexia Learning
Lexia LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) is a comprehensive professional learning suite designed to provide early childhood and elementary educators and administrators with deep knowledge to be both literacy and language experts in the science of reading.
Phoneme Resources
Once
To help students learn to pronounce words correctly, Once provides a collection of phoneme materials, including recordings of the exact sound that should correspond with each letter and worksheets that allow students to write the letter at the same time they are saying it.
The Science of Reading Resource Hub
Zaner-Bloser
The resources in the Science of Reading Hub are meant to help educators better understand the concept and learn new practices they can implement in their classrooms and schools.
Steps to Literacy
AIM Institute for Learning & Research
The AIM Institute for Learning & Research offers evidence-based training to implement structured literacy instruction in classroom practice. AIM’s Steps to Literacy modules can be taken individually or in course bundles and are fully asynchronous online courses providing detailed introductions to understanding Structured Literacy.
Teaching Tools
FreeReading
The week-by-week structure provides educators with guidance on how FreeReading activities and resources may be used to support intervention for students who are developing their literacy skills.