The science of teaching reading, coupled with the art of change management
Shifting to the Science of Reading isn’t just an overnight curriculum swap—it’s a profound culture change with multiple stages and stakeholders. We’ve helped educators succeed in that shift for years, and now we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Through each stage of implementation, our Change Management Playbook will help you mobilize your practice, process, and people to make the shift that matters most.
What is the Science of Reading?
Learning to read is not innate, but it can be taught—and science tells us how. The Science of Reading refers to the vast body of growing research that deconstructs how children learn to read, and the instructional practices that can get them there.
Reading fluency requires a complex combination of skills, taught explicitly and systematically. There are two main frameworks that can help us break it all down: The Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Rope.
The Simple View of Reading
The Simple View of Reading, formulated by Philip Gough and William Tunmer in 1986, is the theory that proficient reading requires two main components:
- Converting written words into speech, otherwise known as decoding.
- Understanding that speech, otherwise known as reading comprehension.
The Reading Rope
Scarborough’s Reading Rope, developed by Dr. Hollis Scarborough in 2001, helps us visualize the strands of specific skills and instruction that support students in decoding and comprehension.
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Build your background knowledge of the Science of Reading.
Our Science of Reading principles and primers explain the essentials what the Science of Reading is, how it works, and why it matters for every student.
Science of Reading guiding principles
Decades of research—and seven key principles—make the case for the Science of Reading. Use these principles to guide your shift to evidence-based literacy instruction, and see real results in student performance.
Science of Reading <br>A Primer: Part One</br>
In part one of our definitive Science of Reading primer, we discuss literacy as a societal goal, walk you through how the brain learns to decode and comprehend text, and present the patterns that top-performing schools and districts follow to achieve early reading success.
Science of Reading <br>A Primer: Part Two</br>
In part two of our Science of Reading primer, we establish the importance of prior knowledge for comprehension, lay out the process of micro-comprehension, and demonstrate how literacy skills build on and accelerate themselves.
Why undertake this crucial change?
When we bring proven methods based on the Science of Reading into schools, we make sure kids are learning to read and help teachers and caregivers support a culture of reading. Together, we can solve the reading crisis and make literacy a reality everywhere.
You’ll change lives with literacy.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 35% of fourth graders in the United States are proficient in reading. But schools using a Science of Reading approach have seen significant improvements in literacy rates. Using research-based methods, educators can help give all children the chance to become successful readers.
You’ll build a foundation with explicit, systematic skills instruction.
Reading skills don’t come naturally. We actually need to rewire our brains with intentional, structured literacy instruction—starting with sounds.
You’ll improve outcomes with knowledge building.
Longitudinal research shows that knowledge-building doesn’t just happen as a result of reading, but is also a vital prerequisite for and component of it. And when delivered intentionally and systematically, knowledge delivers literacy results.
