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The Science of Reading has become widely accepted in education, so what does it look like in practice?

In the edLeader Panel “The Science of Reading in Real Life: Real Strategies for Real Classrooms,” Sarah Von Heal, Literacy Marketing Manager at Savvas Learning Company, discussed the practical applications of the Science of Reading with experts Dr. Sharon Vaughn, Professor and Executive Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Pamela Mason, Director of the Jeanne Chall Reading Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Dr. Young-Suk Kim, Professor at the School of Education at University of California, Irvine.

The core of the Science of Reading is decoding and understanding the meaning of words and being able to read them effortlessly. Students need to know what words mean, because even if they can read aloud, it doesn’t mean they understand what they’re reading.

By starting with phonemic awareness and mapping sounds to printed words, students acquire proficiency in words that helps them both read and write. Additionally, this helps multilingual learners use background knowledge from their native language as a foundation for English skills.

No Need to Start From Scratch

Teachers can grow how they’re already implementing the Science of Reading in classrooms without needing to start fresh. The key is recognizing what they already do well and what needs improvement—and giving themselves grace and time to learn and adjust.

Also, teacher preparation programs may not go into the research around literacy; therefore, teachers must be lifelong learners, developing as the research does. Research, much like teaching, can never be perfected, and it’s important to understand this, staying ready and willing to learn.

Look for Opportunities to Incorporate Phonics

Educators can build their confidence by focusing on the tools their students really need. While phonemic awareness is an important tool in the early grades, once they can read, students don’t need to focus on it. Research shows that, on average, students only need a total of ten hours of phonemic awareness instruction spread out over the year. After that, teachers can move on.

Teachers can have effective phonics lessons without taking up the whole class by spacing out the material and applying phonics to other areas, such as decoding, reading, and writing. Phonics instruction must be explicit and direct so students can see how to apply it to what they read and learn. When students see why it matters, they’ll learn how to apply it.

It’s easy to incorporate knowledge-building opportunities into daily routines without overplanning. Children are naturally curious, and there are educational texts that align with phonics and address real-world questions. While students won’t be able to understand the whole text, teachers can use what they do understand to help them decode multisyllabic words.

Students’ own curiosity motivates them to use the skills they’re developing in school to expand knowledge. In addition to the knowledge gained in school, students enter classrooms with their own prior knowledge, which can help them grow their skills.

You Don’t Have to Be a Writer to Teach Writing Skills

Some teachers may question their capability to teach writing without being authors themselves, but you don’t need to be a writer to teach writing skills. Teaching transcribing skills, such as writing and typing, makes it easier for students to think without diverting attention to remembering what keys to press or how to spell.

Additionally, many reading skills are also writing skills. For example, teaching phonics helps spelling, and vocabulary helps comprehension. While there are some unique aspects of writing that students need to know, such as outlining, drafting, and revising, a lot of writing is already taught with reading lessons.

The best way to improve upon implementing the Science of Reading in the classroom is to have a learning mindset. The science is growing and changing, so educators must do the same to help their students thrive.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, The Science of Reading in Real Life: Real Strategies for Real Classrooms, sponsored by Savvas Learning Company.

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Article by Jon Scanlon, based on this edLeader Panel