I truly believe that the best way to eradicate reading failure is to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified and trained in research-based instructional strategies. Literacy experts agree that knowledgeable teachers are capable of using data to make instructional decisions and produce tangible results with the students in their care.
Dr. Louisa C. Moats, a nationally recognized researcher and authority on literacy education and the professional development of teachers, indicates that: “Informed teachers are our best insurance against reading failure. While programs are very helpful tools, programs don’t teach; teachers do.”* Having the best curriculum or the most innovative program will not leverage learning and achievement for our struggling learners unless we adequately train teachers to teach effectively. Knowledgeable and skilled teachers are capable of making data-informed instructional decisions to change the trajectory of students at risk of reading failure.
Foundation
I am adamant that sequential, explicit instruction grounded in the science of reading is the best method to accelerate growth and achievement for ALL learners. There are a lot of myths about the science of reading. The science of reading is not a program, a curriculum, or a method of instruction. Dr. Louisa C. Moats, defines the science of reading in this way:
“The body of work referred to as the “science of reading” is not an ideology, a philosophy, a political agenda, a one-size-fits-all approach, a 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 the best for the most students.” * *
In 2000, the National Reading Panel (NRP) reviewed thousands of studies on reading research. The National Reading Panel’s analysis made it clear that the best approach to reading instruction is a combination of explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. More recent research challenged the NRP’s original assumption that spelling develops naturally as a result of direct instruction in phonics and phonemic awareness. Experts now agree that explicit spelling instruction is needed to develop students’ writing skills while aligning their phonics skills. For more information on the NRP’s work: National Reading Panel Publications.
For more information on the five pillars, click here.
*Moats, L. & Tolman, C. Ever get the feeling your PD is missing something? Retrieved from https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/BIZFvIvu6EGSPa3y91AKvw.pdf
**Stuart, K. & Fugnitto, G. A Conversation about the science of reading and early reading instruction with Dr. Louisa Moats. Retrieved from https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/blog/the-science-of-reading-with-dr-louisa-moats/
Resources
- At a Loss for Words: How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
- A Field Guide to the Literacy Tsunami
- A Brief History of Reading Instruction
Noor Literacy 