Science of Reading News Digest: September 2022

This post was originally shared in an email newsletter on September 27, 2022. If you would like to receive the next TLA Newsletter, you can sign up here.

While the shift toward evidence-based literacy practice in school settings is a welcome and necessary step to improving literacy levels in the United States, ineffective instruction is not the only barrier to creating lasting change. Research indicates that major brain circuits and networks develop by age 2. Without intentional investments in early childhood education, care, and support for families to nurture early literacy development, overall literacy levels are unlikely to make significant gains. Policies including paid parental leave after childbirth, tax credits for families with young children, and affordable, high-quality childcare would aid in creating a strong literacy foundation for all children.

The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has unanimously approved mandatory K-3 literacy screening. This mandate will go into effect July 2023, with the intention of identifying students in need of literacy interventions early without the need for a special education referral. Districts will be required to create plans to support students who are significantly below grade-level benchmark goals and inform families of screening results within 30 days.

Over the summer, the Tennessee Department of Education provided science of reading training to secondary educators. While the science of reading has taken hold in early education, secondary teachers have often been left out of the picture. This training initiative sought to rectify that issue, emphasizing how literacy can and should be integrated throughout content areas to ensure that all learners are proficient readers. The training focused on complex texts, background knowledge, and integrating writing and discussion into the reading process.

As the use of balanced literacy dwindles in New York City Public Schools and other school systems throughout the county, the Reading Wars continue on in schools and public spheres. Among researchers, however, there is no debate that explicitly teaching phonics, phonemic awareness, and spelling in the early grades are foundational to supporting overall literacy development.

While the focus on evidence-based instructional practices is certainly beneficial to large scale literacy improvement, immense systemic barriers such as a chronic lack of school funding and child poverty persist.