• The term “Science of Reading” refers to more than two decades of research that reading experts, especially cognitive scientists, have conducted on how we learn to read.

    The research has provided insight into what skills are involved, how those skills work together, and which parts of the brain are responsible for reading development.  There is a sequence of steps that reliably and efficiently produce skilled readers. 

     

    Scientists have learned that reading is not a skill that children naturally develop, reading must be taught.  In order to read, people need to reteach neural pathways that are used for vision, memory, and language so that they can become new pathways for reading.  Thousands of research studies have shown that over 95% of children can be taught to read if the reading instruction they receive matches what science has proven about how our brains work when learning to read.

     

    The science of reading says five essential components are necessary for effective reading instruction:

    • Phonological awareness – awareness of the sound structure of words
    • Phonics – correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters
    • Fluency – accuracy, rate and expression while reading
    • Vocabulary – the body of words a child has learned
    • Reading comprehension – the understanding and interpretation of what is read

     

    Some children learn to read more easily than others, and some children struggle with the process. This means schools should act right away if they are concerned about a student. There are things educators can watch for when children are young that will tell them if they are likely to struggle with learning to read. When educators see these signs of risk, they will be ready to provide support, and that can make a big difference. The teachers will be watching for these signs, and they want you to watch for them, too. Catching these risk factors early is important, so if you are concerned, say something to your school. The teachers don’t just want to wait and watch – they want to teach these critical skills to students so they will become skilled readers.