The Science Of Reading

Humankind's most precious treasure is our children, and our future depends on them. We recognize literacy as a fundamental human right that empowers individuals in a society. We also know that grim life outcomes are connected to illiteracy. We are resolved to prevent the collateral damage that is incurred by our students, especially the most vulnerable among them, when adults have limited access to the convergent scientific evidence. Research has yielded proven assessment and instructional practices with which every teacher and leader should be equipped. We believe that providing educators with this knowledge is a moral imperative. We are committed to evidence-aligned reading instruction being scaled with a sense of urgency in a comprehensive and systematic way by multiple stakeholders. We know that our children can be taught to read properly the first time. In a knowledge economy, the currency of the 21st century will be built on the foundation of skilled reading. Students who can read well have a place at the table of opportunity whether their aspirations lead them to preparation for college or the workforce. We believe in a future where a collective focus on applying the Science of Reading through teacher and leader preparation, classroom application, and community engagement will elevate and transform every community, every nation, through the power of literacy.

The Science of Reading: A Handbook brings togetherstate-of-the-art reviews of reading research from leading names inthe field, to create a highly authoritative, multidisciplinaryoverview of contemporary knowledge about reading and relatedskills. Provides comprehensive coverage of the subject, includingtheoretical approaches, reading processes, stage models of reading,cross-linguistic studies of reading, reading difficulties, thebiology of reading, and reading instruction Divided into seven sections:Word Recognition Processes inReading; Learning to Read and Spell; Reading Comprehension; Readingin Different Languages; Disorders of Reading and Spelling;Biological Bases of Reading; Teaching Reading Edited by well-respected senior figures in the field

In this "important and alarming" book, see why so many American students are falling behind in their reading skills while others around the world excel (New York Times). In 2011, when an international survey reported that students in Shanghai dramatically outperformed American students in reading, math, and science, President Obama declared it a "Sputnik moment": a wake-up call about the dismal state of American education. Little has changed, however, since then: over half of our children still read at a basic level and few become highly proficient. Many American children and adults are not functionally literate, with serious consequences. Poor readers are more likely to drop out of the educational system and as adults are unable to fully participate in the workforce, adequately manage their own health care, or advance their children's education. In Language at the Speed of Sight, internationally renowned cognitive scientist Mark Seidenberg reveals the underexplored science of reading, which spans cognitive science, neurobiology, and linguistics. As Seidenberg shows, the disconnect between science and education is a major factor in America's chronic underachievement. How we teach reading places many children at risk of failure, discriminates against poorer kids, and discourages even those who could have become more successful readers. Children aren't taught basic print skills because educators cling to the disproved theory that good readers guess the words in texts, a strategy that encourages skimming instead of close reading. Interventions for children with reading disabilities are delayed because parents are mistakenly told their kids will catch up if they work harder. Learning to read is more difficult for children who speak a minority dialect in the home, but that is not reflected in classroom practices. By building on science's insights, we can improve how our children read, and take real steps toward solving the inequality that illiteracy breeds. Both an expert look at our relationship with the written word and a rousing call to action, Language at the Speed of Sight is essential for parents, educators, policy makers, and all others who want to understand why so many fail to read, and how to change that.

The essential guide to the science behind reading and its practical implications for classroom teaching in primary schools. Teaching children to read is one of the most important tasks in primary education and classroom practice needs to be underpinned by a secure foundation of knowledge. Teachers need to know what reading entails, how children learn to read and how it can be taught effectively. This book is an essential guide for primary teachers that explores the key technical and practical aspects of how children read with strong links to theory and how to translate this into the classroom. Bite-size chapters offer accessible research-informed ideas across all major key topics including phonics, comprehension, teaching children with reading difficulties and strategies for the classroom. Key features include: · Discussions of implications for the classroom · Questions for further professional discussions · Retrieval quizzes · Further reading suggestions · Glossary of key terms Christopher Such is a primary school teacher and the author of the education blog Primary Colour. He can be found on Twitter via @Suchmo83.

Practical, effective, evidence-based reading interventions thatchange students' lives Essentials of Understanding and Assessing ReadingDifficulties is a practical, accessible, in-depth guide toreading assessment and intervention. It provides a detaileddiscussion of the nature and causes of reading difficulties, whichwill help develop the knowledge and confidence needed to accuratelyassess why a student is struggling. Readers will learn aframework for organizing testing results from current assessmentbatteries such as the WJ-IV, KTEA-3, and CTOPP-2. Case studiesillustrate each of the concepts covered. A thorough discussion isprovided on the assessment of phonics skills, phonologicalawareness, word recognition, reading fluency, and readingcomprehension. Formatted for easy reading as well as quickreference, the text includes bullet points, icons, callout boxes,and other design elements to call attention to importantinformation. Although a substantial amount of research has shown that mostreading difficulties can be prevented or corrected, standardreading remediation efforts have proven largely ineffective. Schoolpsychologists are routinely called upon to evaluate students withreading difficulties and to make recommendations to address suchdifficulties. This book provides an overview of the best assessmentand intervention techniques, backed by the most current researchfindings. Bridge the gap between research and practice Accurately assess the reason(s) why a student strugglesin reading Improve reading skills using the most highly effectiveevidence-based techniques Reading may well be the most important thing students are taughtduring their school careers. It is a skill they will use every dayof their lives; one that will dictate, in part, later life success.Struggling students need help now, and Essentials ofUnderstanding and Assessing Reading Difficulties shows how toget these students on track.

In this much anticipated follow-up to their groundbreaking book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, authors Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, together with co-author Katie Cunningham, extend the conversation in Shifting the Balance 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom. This new text is built in mind specifically for grades 3-5 teachers around best practices for the intermediate classroom. Shifting the Balance 3-5 introduces six more shifts across individual chapters that: Zoom in on a common (but not-as helpful-as-we-had-hoped) practice to reconsider Untangle a number of "misunderstandings" that have likely contributed to the use of the common practice Propose a more science-aligned shift to the current practice Provide solid scientific research to support the revised practice Offer a collection of high-leverage, easy-to-implement instructional routines to support the shift to more brain-friendly instruction The authors offer a refreshing approach that is respectful, accessible, and practical - grounded in an earnest commitment to building a bridge between research and classroom practice. As with the first Shifting the Balance, they aim to keep students at the forefront of reading instruction.

Meredith and David Liben have spent decades transforming education, working as teachers, researchers, leaders, and founders of an alternative public elementary school in Harlem"€"the Family Academy. The Libens have been on the front lines of the reading wars since 1994, when the Family Academy's first cohort of students failed the NYC end of year reading exam and they were confronted with the question: How can a school with plenty of resources, dedication to outstanding instruction, and support for social and emotional learning fail so spectacularly at teaching children how to read? The answers are collected here in Know Better, Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read. The Libens have poured through the research, pedagogical movements, and deeply entrenched classroom myths to find the literacy practices and instructional materials that actually improve student learning outcomes. Through their work, the Family Academy reading scores rose to the highest of any non"€"gifted school in Harlem. The best of intentions aren't enough to make children literate; educators have to know better so they can do better.

How can we prepare our students to think, read, and write like scientists? In Reading Science, Jennifer Altieri reminds us that literacy skills aren't add-ons to the science class-they are critical parts of instruction. She addresses the need for both literacy and science skills in our classrooms to prepare our students for the future challenges they will meet. Strategies you can use right away Filled with practical strategies customized for science classrooms based on Jennifer's decades of experience connecting content areas with literacy, this book supports: teaching students to be critical consumers of scientific information they read, regardless of the source or type of text developing students' interest in scientific vocabulary and rich understanding of how words relate to each other encouraging collaboration as students seek answers to scientific questions and communicate their findings. Science requires specialized literacy demands Our students should be prepared for not only the science class as we know it today but for future science classes and the world beyond. To create classrooms that support this kind of learning, we must use literacy as a tool to help students access science content, communicate their ideas precisely, and apply their discoveries in new contexts.