What is Science of Reading?

New insight into reading and  what has proven to enhance reading and learning.

It is a vast body of interdisciplinary research spanning cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics that explains how the brain learns to read. It proves that reading—unlike spoken language—is not a natural human instinct and requires explicit, systematic instruction.

Research demonstrates that skilled reading is achieved by developing two primary components: word recognition and language comprehension.

The focus is on five essential components of literacy instruction

Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.

Phonics: The systematic instruction of letter-sound relationships and spelling rules so students can decode words.

Fluency: The capacity to read text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression.

Vocabulary: Understanding the meanings of spoken and written words.

Comprehension: The ultimate goal of reading, which involves constructing meaning from text.

Teaching these five pillars explicitly and systematically is the key.