The Science of Reading can refer to both Structured Literacy, a way to instruct young students to read, as well as to Brain Research, the scientific studies that show what happens in the brains of good readers versus less efficient readers. The brain research also discusses how teachers can help less efficient readers build new pathways to become better readers.
At Feller School, we know that all children can benefit from Structured Literacy, which refers to reading instruction based on a systematic and explicit understanding of language structure, including phonics. We also know that students who struggle with learning to read and/or have been identified as having Dyslexia will benefit significantly from a Structured Literacy approach that will help them become proficient readers and spellers. This approach includes learning the 75 basic phonograms and the 31 spelling rules.
In addition, it’s important to provide opportunities for our students to practice these skills in fun and meaningful ways. At Feller School, our students play card games, board games, active games, reading games, spelling games, and more, helping make learning fun!
Language is at the heart of everything we read and write. This is why our students work on phonemic and phonological awareness skills and practice the 44 sounds of our English language on a daily basis. Through practice and hard work, our students can build more efficient brain pathways. Brains are malleable and scientists around the world have known this approach is effective for decades. Unfortunately, this information has been slow in reaching the vast majority of our educators given that an alternate approach referred to as ‘whole language’ has long been the dominant approach taught at colleges and universities.
The Science of Reading is evident in our pedagogy, but we also know that it takes hours of teacher reflection, observation, and attention to help meet each student’s individual needs. Reading instruction is very complex. We assess our students regularly and adjust our instruction accordingly to ensure that every student is making progress. We are committed to equipping our students with the skills they need to read and spell with confidence! The Science of Reading can refer to both Structured Literacy, a way to instruct young students to read, as well as to Brain Research, the scientific studies that show what happens in the brains of good readers versus less efficient readers. The brain research also discusses how teachers can help less efficient readers build new pathways to become better readers.
The body of work referred to as the ‘science of reading’ is not an ideology, philosophy, political agenda, one-size-fits-all approach, program of instruction, nor a specific component of instruction. It 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. These studies have revealed a great deal about how we learn to read, what goes wrong when students don’t learn, and what kind of instruction is most likely to work best for the most students. – Dr. Louisa Moats
Dr. Louisa Moats is the Director of Professional Development and Research Initiatives with Sopris West Educational Services. She directed the NICHD Early Reading Interventions Project in Washington, DC and worked on the California Reading Initiative as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar.