The Science of Reading
What is the Science of Reading (SoR)?
Understanding what the Science of Reading is and what it is not is an important first step. The science of reading is a phrase used to describe a body of knowledge found in; Developmental psychology, Educational psychology, Cognitive science and Cognitive neuroscience on reading.
There are so many pieces to the Science of Reading that it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are a few highlights about what the Science of Reading IS and what it IS NOT. This knowledge will help you on your journey to teaching all children, including those with diverse needs and cultural backgrounds, to read.
What it IS
A Collection of Research
Research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read.
Teaching Based on the 5 Big Ideas
Phonemic Awareness - The ability to identify and play with individual sounds in spoken words.
Phonics - Reading instruction on understanding how letters and groups of letters link to sounds to form letter- sound relationships and spelling patterns.
Fluency - The ability to read words, phrases, sentences, and stories correctly, with enough speed, and expression.
Vocabulary - Knowing what words mean and how to say and use them correctly.
Comprehension - The ability to understand what you are reading.
Ever Evolving
There is new research and evidence all the time. As populations, communities, and approaches evolve, so should practice.
What it is NOT
A program, an intervention, or a product that you can buy.
The Science of Reading could be considered an approach to teaching reading that is based on decades of research and evidence. It is NOT a specific program.
Phonics-based programs that drill phonics skills.
Phonics is an integral part of teaching reading based on science, but it is just one of the five big ideas that should be taught so all children can learn to read.
Complete and no more study needs to be done.
As with any science, it is never complete. We can always know more. More study happens all the time and researchers, teachers, and families can work together to bring the best research into classrooms.
National Center on Improving Literacy (2022). The Science of Reading: The Basics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Improving Literacy. Retrieved from http://improvingliteracy.org.Dr. Gabi Bell Jiménez Explains The Science of Reading
Dr. Gabi Bell is the Director of Literacy, Biliteracy and Humanities at MMSD. A Costa Rican native, Gabi is passionate about language, literacy and culture. "Literacy has to do with the ability to do my own reading and writing in service of my own understanding. I believe in education from us, by us," Gabi explains. "That is what my parents fought to give me, and that is what I give my children, and that is what I want for every child." Check out this video as Gabi defines The Science of Reading and its implications for instructional practice.
"It (Science of Reading) is the emerging consensus from many related disciplines, based on literally thousands of studies, supported by hundreds of millions of research dollars, conducted across the world in many languages."
~ Louisa Moats (LETRS author)
What Scientific Research Informs LETRS?
LETRS is grounded in the science of reading. Teaching reading is rocket science, as stated by author Louisa C. Moats (1999). The concepts and instructional approaches of LETRS are aligned with respected sources such as the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (Moats et al., 2010), the Elements of Effective Instruction (Florida Center for Reading Research, 2006), and Classroom Reading Instruction that Supports Struggling Readers: Key Components for Effective Teaching (Denton, n.d.). In addition, this course incorporates reading research conducted in neuroscience, cognitive development psychology, and linguistics so that educators have solid evidence on how to teach reading to benefit all students. Some notable research that informs LETRS is listed here.