Research Wednesday | May 7, 2025
Take Care when Implementing the Science of Reading.
The science of reading has taken the nation by storm, with more than half the state legislatures mandating adopting a curriculum based on the science of reading.
In this April 29, 2025, article in Education Week, Scott Gaynor, the head of an independent school, suggests caution in several areas. (https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-bringing-the-science-of-reading-to-your-school-remember-this-one-thing/2025/04)
First, while he advocates the phonics-based approach to reading that is at the heart of the science of reading, he worries that books and demanding professional learning are not enough. He piloted an intensive 15-week program to train teachers in New York and got good results, with 89% of participating teachers reporting improvements in student reading performance. However, that degree of focus and intensity of implementation is rare. Schools are drowning in initiative fatigue, and focusing on this critical skill requires leaders to say no to many other initiatives clamoring for their attention.
Second, just as Bob Marzano did in his flagship book, The Art and Science of Teaching, Gaynor insists that we not lose the value of the art of teaching, in which teachers build relationships and restore the love of reading, something sorely lacking in some of the phonics-based programs.
Third, our research has demonstrated over decades that one of the best ways to improve reading comprehension is to have students write not only in their ELA classes but also in every subject. But I have seen schools adopt science of reading programs and reject past practices, including effective writing, editing, and rewriting. We have seen this movie before – a new program is adopted, and in this case, legislatively mandated, without effective support and implementation.
Finally, I am weary of curriculum publishers who act as if the use of phonics in reading instruction is a 21st-century invention. I have a copy of the 1836 McGuffey’s Readers, which included explicit phonics instruction. Lucy Calkins, one of the most influential reading teachers of our time, explicitly included phonics in her books and professional development sessions, a fact overlooked by those who made her the foil for the illusion that reading instruction did not include phonics. So I do not oppose the science of reading. I just wish that advocating for these ideas with great zeal would get their facts straight and not forget the importance of the joy of reading and the importance of writing.
I encourage you to listen to the Fearless Schools Podcast. This week, a new "Shorts" podcast was released featuring Jessyca Lucero-Flores. She shares her unique perspective on education, drawing parallels between ecological systems and educational environments and emphasizing that balance is key to success.