What the Science of Reading IS NOT – For Elementary Educators
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Educators must get on the same page about the Science of Reading in elementary education.
So much is being thought, said, and written about the Science of Reading in elementary education, but what is it? Phonics? Curriculum? Villain? Savior? That depends on who you ask. Ask teachers, parents, or community members, and you’ll get a variety of answers. In fact, definitions abound in educational articles and literature.
This illuminates a great schism in today’s educational climate: the confusion around what the Science of Reading actually is. Considering the amount of misinformation and partial information available, is it really a surprise that educators have varying degrees of understanding?
To get to the bottom of what the Science of Reading is, let’s define what it’s not.
What Science of Reading Is Not
The Science of Reading is not a phonics program.
The Science of Reading is often misrepresented as a phonics program. Phonics is only one element of the larger body of knowledge.
The Science of Reading is not a curriculum.
Rather, the body of knowledge known as the Science of Reading informs the most effective way to teach reading, word recognition (i.e., decoding)?and?language comprehension (i.e., meaning and context).
The Science of Reading is not a set of curricular materials.
Anyone who says their school or district has adopted the Science of Reading is mistaken. It can’t be adopted, audited, piloted, or bought like commercially available products. It can’t be boiled down into a basal reader or teacher manual. The Science of Reading is not prescriptive. The Science of Reading can’t choose sides in the “reading wars.” Some instructional practices better match the cognitive evidence about how the human brain learns to read.
The Science of Reading is not language comprehension.
Language comprehension is merely one part of what students need to learn to read. Dr. Wendy Strickler touches on language comprehension in an article she guest-authored for Kids Read Now’s Latest in Literacy blog. Read it to gain resources to give to parents so they can support fluency and comprehension at home.
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The Science of Reading is not word recognition.
Like language comprehension, word recognition represents only part of what students need to learn to read. Scientist Dr. Hollis Scarborough pared down the components of literacy acquisition into a multiplication equation she dubs the Simple View of Reading:
Unraveling The Complexity of Reading Science
Truly grasping the Science of Reading is not actually simple. While Dr. Scarborough’s Simple View of Reading is excellent to grasp the overarching subject, and to share with non-educators, it is not enough for educators. Understanding the Science of Reading in the context of elementary education requires acknowledging its complexity. Dr. Scarborough’s Reading Rope infographic is particularly enlightening in this respect, illustrating the interconnected skills involved in reading development.
Bridging Communication Gaps in Reading Education
The Science of Reading, particularly when it comes to its implementation in elementary education, can be misunderstood by various stakeholders. Parents and caregivers lack the jargon. New teachers lack pedagogical knowledge. Veteran teachers lack the training. Some stakeholders have political agendas.
So, how do we begin the conversation if everyone’s on a different page?
To communicate about the best way to teach students to read, we need to be on the same page. Literally. Kids Read Now supports schools using the Science of Reading to inform instruction.
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