Equitable Literacy Instruction Part 2: Ensuring the Science of Reading Works for All Children

In this follow-on discussion to our January session with executives from the Children’s Literacy Initiative and other leaders, we picked up on the notion that a primary key to dispelling misunderstandings about the science of reading is realizing there are multiple sciences that need to be taken into consideration for the vast diversity in race, nationality, background, and especially language among students in America’s classrooms. This time, we zeroed-in on the federal, state, and local policies that lead to effective classroom practices and the specific strategies and activities that make instruction focused on the science of reading truly effective for all learners.

Speech and language pathologist Ryan Lee-James, Ph.D., of the Atlanta Speech School and Rollins Center for Language and Literacy moderated the conversation and offered compelling framing remarks. Lee-James introduced the discussion by engaging with Diana Greene, Ph.D., of the Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI) and Melissa Castillo, Ed.D., formerly of the U.S. Department of Education to again review the assertions in CLI’s recent white paper and unpack what research says about what it takes to teach multilingual learners how to read and write. Castillo emphasized the importance of taking an asset-based approach and honoring students’ oral use of their native language:

One of the biggest, most effective practices that really, in my mind, is the easiest to address is moving from that deficit-based approach to an asset-based approach where we very clearly agree on the fact that our English learners and our multilingual learners are linguistically gifted. They come with beautiful languages that really, when it comes to learning to read, language is language is language. So regardless of any language that they’re developing, if they have a strong foundation in oral language, [and when their oral language] is prioritized and continued not only in school but outside of school, it will benefit and support the acceleration of students learning to read.

After the discussion of the broad ideas and research about how students gain literacy knowledge, Lee-James shifted to a discussion around policy and practice with Esther Quintero, Ph.D., of the Albert Shanker Institute, Paula White of JerseyCAN, and Susanne Nobles, Ph.D., of ReadWorks. From these experts, we first learned about the 400+ legislative bills addressing the science of reading that have been analyzed by Quintero and her team and the pillars that drive policy and practice in New Jersey though JerseyCAN’s Legacy of Literacy campaign. We also learned about one free resource available to teachers to help them conduct literacy instruction with culturally sustaining practices. Although it is not a curriculum per se, ReadWorks provides supplemental resources that greatly advance children’s literacy development and generate a love of reading. Nobles explained further how these resources build the knowledge that is critical to literacy development:

Our goal is to bring together all that we’ve been talking about, the science of reading, along with culturally responsive teaching, with a particular focus on building background knowledge and vocabulary in support of reading comprehension. Sometimes the science of reading gets reduced to just phonics. Yet there’s so much more to it. And we’re focused at ReadWorks on bringing in that knowledge and vocabulary through reading, in support of reading. Because no one curriculum can bring enough knowledge.

If you were able to attend the session, we would love to hear your feedback! We appreciate your help in filling out the following form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives, ideas, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences.