We are journalists from EdSource and we want to answer questions on what parents and teachers need to know to help kids learn to read

As a parent, what is the #1 thing I can do at home, outside the classroom, to help my first grader improve her reading?

Outside the classroom, reading with your kiddo is the gold standard. Help them sound words out but also talk about the content, word definitions and what they like or dislike about the story. Children love storytelling.

Reading to children is key to creating a love of literature but experts say it doesn’t suffice for many children to learn to read. They need reading fundamentals, like phonics.

Just a heads up, you’re leaving top-level comments, not responding directly to people.

Thank you!

The following words and terms come up frequently during any discussion of this topic.
Phonics instruction teaches the relationships between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language, correlating sounds with letters to sound out the word on the page.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to detect, identify and manipulate phonemes, a distinct unit of sound, in spoken words. It is one component of phonological awareness, an umbrella term that includes the awareness of the larger parts of spoken language, such as words and syllables, as well as smaller parts such as phonemes.
Balanced literacy, a variation of the whole-language approach that emphasizes exploring literature organically but includes the explicit instruction of phonics in small doses.
Science of reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically based research about reading that includes the five fundamental pillars: phonics (connecting letters to sounds,) phonemic awareness (identifying distinct units of sound,) fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Decoding means translating a printed word to speech and identifying unfamiliar words by sounding them out. This is a foundation of phonics instruction.
Three-cueing uses context such as pictures and syntax to guess the meaning of words that a student is stumbling on. It is urged primarily in balanced literacy and has become a focus of controversy.
Structured literacy emphasizes the highly explicit and systematic teaching of all important components of literacy including foundational skills (phonics, spelling) and higher-level literacy skills (reading comprehension). The origins of this phonics-based approach go back to the 1920s, when Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham created a program that was systematic, explicit and highly structured, known as the Orton-Gillingham method, to reach struggling readers.

How much does what you're reading at home with kids matter? When my younger brother was learning to read, he only wanted to read Star Wars books, and my parents were just not onboard with that until a teacher told them "it's not what kids read, it's that kids read." Do most experts agree that's true and that the content is not as relevant as the fact kids are reading?

Letting kids read what they choose to read is key to building enthusiasm. But parents can read to their children as well, at all ages, so that they are exposed to literature that might be too challenging for them but will expose them to more sophisticated fare. Read alouds should continue long beyond the child learning to read, many experts advise.

That’s a great way to build background knowledge, which is crucial to prospering in school as texts grow more complex and abstract.

Should we be investigating how the colleges of education prepare their students to teach reading? It is my understanding that about 1/2 of colleges of education nationwide teach science-based reading curriculum, pedagogy, and approaches to assessments!

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing adopted standards based on SOR last fall. All schools giving credentialing must start teaching using them in the fall of 2024. Will CTC monitor and threaten if they don't? I am sure you have thoughts about that ...

What will it take to get Governor Newsom to ban the use of balanced literacy like the gov of Ohio has just done. Why is the teachers union often fighting what is best for the students? How long before Universities train teachers in science of reading so school districts don't have to and students can learn. If teachers were not taught this in there schools how can they teach it.?

There seems to be little appetite in California for mandating SOR, although many other states are doing so. Teacher training is at the core of the issue. Many teachers are learning the science of reading on their own time and on their own dime because they feel they have not been well served by their training programs.

While the SOR approach is ascendant, now there are many educators who remain true believers in balanced literacy, particularly followers of Lucy Calkins and the Units of Study.

Is there a strong correlation to literacy and parents reading to their children early on?

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Follow up.... do iPhones improve or make the literacy situation worse?

There’s a lot of compelling evidence that suggests screen time is correlated with lower academic outcomes. Also newer research suggests that the brain has trouble focusing as deeply while reading on a screen. This is also true for adults.

Where and how can parents find out whether their children are on track to be good readers? How can they get valid and reliable assessment results for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary? Informed parents want to know!

Schools do their own assessments of early literacy. Ask your teacher. But many parents simply assess at home by listening to their child read and going with your gut. Are they looking for clues in the picture? Do they understand what they are reading? You know your child better than anyone.

What do I do if my child's teacher is not providing much phonics instruction?

What do I do if my child's teacher is not providing much phonics instruction?

Many parents seek a tutor outside school or take it on themselves as a way to buttress what the child learns at school. Look on YouTube for the Purple Crayon challenge for a good example of this.

Also, go to the principal, then the school board to ask how the school is doing on its reading assessments and how much phonics is emphasized in the curriculum

How can we ensure that state and school district leaders implement the science of reading well? And don’t just give it lip service and a 2 hour professional development session?

In California, there is a list of approved curriculums, but it is outdated and tied to the Common Core standards, not whether it is based on the science of reading. Districts can choose whatever they want.

As I mentioned, the state is agnostic on curriculums. However, Gov. Newsom has proposed $ 1 million for a "Literacy Roadmap" to guide teachers and the school board. The bill expanding on it specifically mentions the science of reading and the five key elements of sound reading instruction. This will move the state closer to taking a clear and concise position on effective instruction. It will not be a mandate, however. We'll see what it looks like a year from now.

You can read our literacy coverage here: https://edsource.org/2022/californias-reading-dilemma/672845

How can we inspire or motivate new gen towards book reading rather than mobile?

Where and how can parents find out whether their children are on track to be good readers? How can they get valid and reliable assessment results for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary? Informed parents want to know!

That’s tough in an increasingly online world where there is certainly lots of computer time in the classroom. But many families are holding the line at home, limiting screen time and delaying introduction of phones and Ipads until the child is already an avid reader. The wait until 12 movement is a prime example of this.

And fund the book that captures kids' own special interests. Show how it's much more interesting than they can get on mobile.

Also model the behavior you wish to see. Parents have to put down their own devices or they undermine their own message.

How can we advocate for regular assessments of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary using valid and reliable assessments? We need to know whether our children are on track to being able to read in the early grades - certainly before grade 3!

Following the money must be done locally. That's where the decisions are made, not at the state level.

While many reading advocates would urge the state to take a leadership role in championing the SOR, there are others who believe that local control should always come first.

Hey, and thanks for this AMA.

How long-standing are these problems (as opposed to being a consequence of pandemic-related learning loss)?

From a policymaker’s perspective, what top-down policy solutions to the literacy crisis have the most evidence behind their efficacy?

Low reading scores predate the pandemic and have been accentuated by it. Scores dropped nationwide in 2022 compared to 2019. On the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, 31% of CA students at or above proficient in 4th grade reading

The literacy crisis is a long-standing problem that just escalated during the pandemic. Reading scores are lower than ever now but it has also drawn attention to a problem that was too long ignored.

States with comprehensive literacy plans generally have common components. But implementation is critical, not just what the Legislature adopts.
· They require the state to oversee or monitor literacy efforts. California does not
· They include providing common standards for teacher preparation programs (Califrnia adopted these in the fall and higher ed programs offering teaching credentials must begin using them in the fall of 2024 as defined by Senate Bill AB 488 (Sen. Rubio);
· They require/incentivize professional development of classroom teachers; California does not to any great extent. Districts can use their own funding;
· They hire or set requirements for literacy coaches. California does not yet do so, although it is funding literacy coaches for about 300-plus of the state’s lowest-income schools

any thoughts on how arts integration dovetails with literacy (there's Merryl Goldberg's 2004 book detailing the SUAVE program), how prop 28 funds might impact literacy learning, and how non-educators can use the arts to assist with language learning?

How much does what you're reading at home with kids matter? When my younger brother was learning to read, he only wanted to read Star Wars books, and my parents were just not onboard with that until a teacher told them "it's not what kids read, it's that kids read." Do most experts agree that's true and that the content is not as relevant as the fact kids are reading?

There’s absolutely a compelling case to be made for the arts as a way to teach literacy, the joy of reading, the love of language. There’s also a lot of research suggesting the connection between learning music and boosted spatial reasoning, a pillar of math.

Unfortunately, we're out of time for today. Thank you so much for your questions. Check out our California literacy coverage here.

Plus, we recently held a roundtable discussion on what parents and teachers can do to help their children and students learn how to read by third grade. Watch here.

Thank you for your efforts!

Thanks for joining the conversation. We had fun during our first Reddit AMA.

Could it be that the K-12 education is woefully incapable of seriously adopting science-based approaches to reading due to its corrupt political structure and toxic culture of self over service and loyalty over competence?

You touched on a valid issue. Teachers who think SOR too will pass 1) need to see the evidence that it works; 2) receive continued funding for training like LETRS from the state. California simply has not invested money in early literacy and early numeracy instruction and coaching. It's hard work that needs more support than teachers have received.

I think you have an answer to your own question. I have more hope than you.

I find it very hopeful that there is such a huge grassroots movement out there trying to solve the literacy crisis, one classroom at a time, parents and teachers inspired to seek their own solutions.

Hello! Are you answering questions about the science of reading?

Reading in the Brain is a great book on the neurology behind the science of reading.

Hello! Are you answering questions about the science of reading?

Yes, what is your question?

Am I asking too many questions?

Not at all. We love the questions.

My fingers don't work fast enough to keep up with your questions ...