The Education Week Spotlight on Literacy Instruction is a collection of articles hand-picked by our editors for their insights on the science behind how children learn to read, why it’s challenging to alter established reading practices, and how to make reading instruction more efficient.
You get the articles below in a downloadable PDF.
Reading & Literacy
Explainer
How Do Kids Learn to Read? What the Science Says
The debate rages but the science is clear: Teaching systematic phonics is the most reliable way to make sure that kids learn how to read.
Reading & Literacy
Improving Reading Isn't Just a Teaching Shift. It's a Culture Shift
Flawed methods for teaching reading are passed down through cherished mentors, popular literacy programs, and respected professional groups.
Reading & Literacy
From Our Research Center
Data: How Reading Is Really Being Taught
New survey data show that most K-2 teachers and education professors are using instructional methods unsupported by cognitive science.
Reading & Literacy
More Than Phonics: How to Boost Comprehension for Early Readers
Learning how to decode words is essential to becoming a reader. But building a strong vocabulary and knowledge-base is crucial as well.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
There Are Four Foundational Reading Skills. Why Do We Only Talk About Phonics?
Foundational reading skills are more than the sum of their parts, so we must integrate how we teach them, writes Heidi Anne E. Mesmer.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
How to Make Reading Instruction Much, Much More Efficient
Scaling back small-group instruction could promise dramatic improvements in literacy, argues Mike Schmoker.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
'Writing Directly Benefits Students' Reading Skills'
Five experienced educators discuss how writing instruction can support the development of reading skills for students throughout K-12.