Who is pushing the science of reading?

The science of reading legislation is also being pushed forward by political activists. These include the parents of children diagnosed with dyslexia as well as disenfranchised communities in which mostly Black and Latinx students are leaving school with low levels of literacy (Shanahan, 2020).

What happened with Lucy Calkins?

Calkins, 71, remains a tenured professor, but is now on sabbatical. She has announced the formation of a new company, Mossflower Literacy, to continue her work with schools. A number of staff members from Teachers College are joining this new company.

Why so many American kids are struggling to read?

A combination of under-funded schools, educator shortages, inadequate teacher preparation and months of lost learning due to pandemic school closures have caused a resurgence of concern about kids' reading ability.

What is the science of reading controversy?

The science of reading, while typically villainized for solely advocating phonics, is misrepresented as a phonics program, while really, it is a body of research that informs the most effective way to teach decoding and language comprehension.

What is the controversy with Calkins?

Many experts have said Calkins' controversial approach contributed to low-literacy proficiency levels across the country due to a decreased emphasis on phonics in its reading materials, especially in New York City's school system, in which estimates say that less than half of its over 1 million students can read ...

What Teachers Should Know About the Science of Reading

Why was Calkins denied a PhD at Harvard?

Although she earned her PhD at Harvard under William James, Calkins was refused the degree by the Harvard Corporation (who continues to refuse to grant the degree posthumously) on the grounds that Harvard did not accept women.

Does Lucy Calkins have a PhD?

Educational Background

B.A. in Liberal Arts, Williams College; M.A. and Certification in the Teaching of Reading, University of Hartford; Ph. D. in English Education, New York University.

What reading curriculums follow the science of reading?

The California Reading Coalition report says the top three reading curricula are “primarily used as balanced literacy programs, the dominant approach to reading instruction in California;” but McGraw Hill lists Wonders as being “grounded in the Science of Reading,” and Benchmark Education lists Benchmark Advance as “ ...

What do Fountas and Pinnell say about the science of reading?

Fountas and Pinnell believe that all children need explicit instruction in phonics, reading, and writing. F&P resources support children's attention to every letter, sound, and word in order to read and write with accuracy, fluency, and understanding.

Is science of reading legit?

The science of reading is a gold-standard body of research, and instruction based on the science of reading has shown to be more effective at teaching all students how to read. It's in the name—evidence-based instruction is proven to work.

Why do kids not like reading anymore?

It could be a combination of watching too much television at home and doing a lot of boring worksheets in school. Once children lose interest in reading, it's hard to get them back. The motivation to read also tends to decrease as kids get older. Reading is like any other skill.

Is reading losing popularity?

In fact, these days Americans are reading less than they have in over 30 years. You read that right. The Americans surveyed in Gallup's poll said they read (“either all or part of the way through”) an average of 12.6 books in 2021, down from 15.6 in 2016 and a recent high of 18.5 in 1999.

Why is reading declining?

One of the main reasons for the decline in reading is the active lifestyle of modern people. With work, family and social obligations, people need help challenging leisurely. The pressure to be productive and efficient has led many people to prioritize work over leisure activities, including reading.

Does Lucy Calkins use phonics?

Although Calkins claims to be in favor of phonics (when appropriate, as long as it doesn't interfere with children's love of reading), her guides for teachers promote a series of methods that effectively embody the three-cueing system.

How many schools use Lucy Calkins curriculum?

Consider its reach – in 2022, approximately a quarter of the country's 67,000 elementary schools adopted the curriculum, with an estimated 16% of K-2 teachers implementing its tactics routinely. These numbers emphasize the widespread impact Lucy Calkins has had in the literacy world.

How many schools use Lucy Calkins units of study?

Today, Calkins leads a team of about 60 Units of Study curriculum developers. She estimated to The New York Times that one in four elementary schools in the U.S. mandate the curriculum, and while many others don't formally implement Units of Study they use similar balanced literacy methods.

Why is everyone leaving Heinemann Publishing?

“Due to irreconcilable differences regarding the work of equity, inclusion, and antiracism, effective immediately, we are ending our professional development and publishing relationships with Heinemann,” wrote Sonja Cherry-Paul and Tricia Ebarvia, in a Twitter statement.

Does Orton Gillingham follow science of reading?

The Reading Center is proud that our approach to teaching reading, Orton-Gillingham, has been affirmed as consistent with the science of reading.

Why did we stop teaching phonics?

But in general, most reading education combines phonics and whole language (see and say) approaches. Back in the day, there were these “reading wars” about the best way to teach reading. Fluent readers read by sight, they don't “sound out” words, which is why that approach dominated teaching.

Is American reading Company aligned with science of reading?

Grounded in the work of Haberman, Csikszentmihalyi, Ericsson, Dweck, and others, ARC's approach embeds the science of reading within the larger research on the science of learning. Engagement, motivation, student agency, and culturally responsive practices are embedded in the daily structures of teaching reading.

What are the big 5 of science of reading?

Effective reading instruction incorporates five components including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

How is science of reading different from balanced literacy?

There are two approaches to teaching reading that have dominated the early education sphere for over a century: the science of reading, which is rooted in systematic phonics instruction, and a balanced literacy approach rooted in whole language instruction.

Who did Calkins study under?

In 1890 she began advanced studies in psychology and philosophy at Clark University and then at Harvard University, where she studied under William James, Josiah Royce, and Hugo Münsterberg.

What is the science of reading approach?

What is the science of reading? While the phrase doesn't have a universal definition, it refers broadly to research in a variety of fields that relates to how a child's brain learns to read. Neuroscientists, for instance, have used MRIs to study the brains of struggling readers.