Amanda P. Goodwin|Robert T. Jiménez
The Science of Reading: Supports, Critiques, and Questions
preparations began special issue reading research quarterly term science reading sor dominant part discourse education kept hearing term discussions across experiences researchers teacher educators partners local education agencies community members even parents even media weighed invested saw sor either magic solution educations problems impediment kept historical structural inequities place divisions reminiscent decadesold reading wars people seemed occupy middle ground started solicit opinions sor term means people outside field quickly became clear single definition also consensus cited inform theory research policy practice name sor coeditors rrq leading global journal provides latest research scholarship literacy saw opportunity put together special issue journal focused whats heart debate science goal project never decide right side debate help us better consumers creators information compilation articles special issue well appear second special issue spring 2021 examine sor broader inclusive lens together pieces bring supportive critical perspective conversations identify next steps field science reading supports critiques questions contains 26 articles written total 77 authors represent diverse innovative challenging ideas perspectives reframe sor debate asked authors reviewers associate editors focus accuracy statements bridging perspectives impact manuscripts field mentioned earlier term science reading interpreted divisive ways goal issue highlight bridging perspectives via accurate meaningful information move us forward although article shares important points overlap articles show research community agrees science sciences reading science reading involves studying reading operates develops taught shapes academic cognitive growth affects motivation emotion interacts context impacts context turn includes genetic biological environmental contextual social political historical cultural factors influence acquisition use reading someone conducting empirical studies reading 40 years see science reading contributing vast interdisciplinary store critical information readingrelated skills processes antecedents outcomes representing linguistic cognitive social cultural neurological psychological dimensions science reading phrase representing accumulated knowledge reading reading development best practices reading instruction obtained use scientific methodcollectively research studies focus reading yielded substantial knowledge base stable findings based science reading taken together science reading helps diverse set educational shareholders across institutions eg preschools schools universities communities families make informed choices effectively promote literacy skills foster healthy productive lives dewalt hink 2009 rayner foorman perfetti pesetsky seidenberg 2001 definitions reflect broad view sor conveyed across articles special issue well important implications sor conceptualized yet authors consistently note interpretation sor typically much narrower sor often interpreted focused solely word reading role systematic phonics instruction supporting reading achievement particularly developing readers alexander notes see phrase science reading used limited pejorative manner bewildering important authors almost universally emphasize narrow interpretations sor often taken media make way practice policies schools problematic taken together articles special issue suggest sor body knowledge defined broadly researchers scholars interpretation body knowledge often defined narrowly audiences outside academy authors special issue push back idea sor characterized support opposition phonics instruction reality reading begin end phonics wholeword instruction seidenberg 2013 far broader complex reading broadly conceived interaction personbe child adolescent adultand written language pearson cervetti 2013 interaction involve written language many levels words sentences paragraphs entire volumes shanahan 2019 also reading performed many reasons purely personal largely academic many contexts school well online print ito et al 2013 singer alexander 2017 researchers often frame science reading contrasting applied epistemological perspectives thus two scientists approach science reading different epistemologies suggest principled understandings explanations students learn read yet means understandings explanations derived often distinct articles chosen issue contribute sor discussion different ways categorized culminating two key findings first multiple studies focus deepening understanding typically seen core sor phonics instruction example petscher et al describe strong evidence explicit systematic foundational skill instruction providing bigpicture view ehri provides focused look phonics helpful uses research emphasize importance reading words sight phonics serving role linking spellings words lexical representations kearns explores nuances related phonics instruction investigating whether english orthography consistent enough warrant explicit instruction syllabication rules scanlon anderson review 25 years work suggesting using phonics contextbased information facilitates ability build sight vocabulary turn enables readers turn attention important goal literacy learning meaning construction seidenberg cooper borkenhagen kearns solari et al consider translation findings classrooms broadly example seidenberg et al suggest science statistical learning quasiregular domains shown readers combine implicit learning mappings orthography ie spellings likely pronounced learning explicit instruction accelerates implicit learning views provide complexities related translation classrooms overall work deepens understandings currently discussed sor even within media consequences instruction second importantly majority articles special issue push expand conceptualizations sor perspective contrasts singular focus phonics word reading articles petscher et al cervetti et al represent efforts provide updated bigpicture view sor author teams suggest importance foundational skills also complicated constellation skills knowledge impact reading comprehension cervetti et al include academic language instruction comprehension strategy instruction multifaceted language interventions explicit instruction key vocabulary text discussions hence sor best moves field forward serves learners one attends foundational skills overall studies within issue suggest broad conceptualization sor unite science conveys literacy studies suggest sor include findings role language comprehension cervetti et al phillips galloway mcclain uccelli silverman johnson keane khanna writing graham content background knowledge cabell hwang kaefer instruction shanahan articles also suggest sor take expansive view reading acknowledges complexity comptonlilly mitra guay spence challenges readers face particularly within digital literacy alexander importantly authors also push expansive view readers attending different ways readers families communities experience literacy literacy instruction acknowledging structural inequities readers include english learners goldenberg emergent bilinguals noguernliu black students milner well struggling readers peng goodrich students dyslexia elliott related authors suggest lenses related equity social justice central investigating considering sor comptonlilly et al phillips galloway et al hattan lupo hoffman hikida sailors milner noguernliu mosley wetzel et al milner points builds knowledge counts knowledge knowledge constructed science reading important questions underlie experimental studies translation findings framed within overcoming racial injustice call action joint statement international literacy association editors rrq journal adolescent adult literacy reading teacher published july 2020 issue three journals see additions particularly important articles special issue also emphasize sor include work teacher development privileging teacher expertise hindman morrison connor connor hoffman et al mosley wetzel et al vaughn parsons massey well developing infrastructure support sor instruction woulfin gabriel translational methods seidenberg et al solari et al make sor instruction effective short key contribution special issue clarify enough consider collection experimental studies conceptualized within sor instead special issue pushes broader conceptualization overview 26 articles provided appendix work continues rrqs second special issue sor slated release spring 2021 writing 31 pieces still peer review including held first release response initial call extensive volume resulting manuscripts exceeded tenable schedule meeting original publication date take response confirming intense interest topic sor across entire spectrum literacy researchers look forward important discussions community consider varied perspectives knowledge conveyed articles given experiencing global pandemic serious consequences education uniting knowledge base moving field forward critical serving readers communities publishing special issue within sixmonth time frame certainly ambitious effort original call abstracts yielded 70 manuscript submissions recruited team associate editors assist assigning reviewers manuscript received two adjudicating service invaluable acknowledge joanne f carlisle donald l compton amy c crosson bridget dalton david k dickinson patricia enciso kathy escamilla elfrieda h hiebert margaret g mckeown annemarie palincsar grateful efforts reviewers authors well rrq staff including susanne viscarra international literacy association staff leadership including dan mangan lara deloza colleen clark wesley ford also grateful laura buckley rrq editorial assistant helped much organization special issue thrust argument use context valuable assist word solving students knowledge code still developing inconsistencies english orthography result approximate pronunciation word either situation successful word solving includes careful interrogation letters word supports orthographic mapping required skilled word learning additionally wordsolving process becomes generative helps familiarize student new lettersound correspondences orthographic patterns applied decoding even new words thus expanding power selfteaching mechanism share 1995 theory supporting evidence reviewed demonstrated reading writing connected mutually supportive engagement instruction one results improvement result advancements study reading writing cannot maximized sciences reading writing continue operate largely separate fashions way contributes reading comprehending text reading words automatically memory sight evidence shows words read memory graphemes connected phonemes bonds spellings individual words pronunciations along meanings memory despite vast proliferation scientific research understanding dyslexia marked serious weaknesses conceptualization definition operationalization unscientific also result impoverished practice schools social inequity understanding provision many struggling readers ultimately reduced life chances millions students worldwide reviewed recent relevant rigorous intervention studies used approaches similar cognitive element model reported promising effects improving responsiveness reading intervention among typically developing struggling readers moreover studies demonstrated working memory training embedded relatively easily existing evidencebased reading instruction curricula activities suggesting element model may potential provide costefficient promising reading intervention framework especially struggling readers show little response even intensive evidencebased reading instruction article aim help field transcend narrow conceptualizations science reading often view linguistic comprehension c synonymous building language skills indeed strengthening students language skills including vocabulary earliest grade levels critical reading understanding foorman et al 2016 part picture building content knowledge also essential main determinant understanding text much knowledge reader brings reading anderson pearson 1984 context knowledge building language knowledge grow together synergistic effect linguistic comprehension eventual reading comprehension rather seesawing rhetoric resources associated different approaches reading instruction policymakers reformers examine coherence transparency feasibility infrastructure particular collect analyze evidence educators experiences responses pillars infrastructure example teachers leaders perceptions strengths gaps new reading instructional materials degree teachers engaging inclassroom reading coaching targeting content routines curriculum critical obtain data outcomes implementing sor also obtain data conditions implementation processes unfolding implementation three concerns current efforts use science improve reading outcomes first need additional translational research establish closer connections theory practice know science reading science teaching based science reading second concerned reading science characterized educational contexts oversimplified ways slow progress seeming sanction practices loosely connected finally science reading moving target continues progress theories grown increasingly complex nonintuitive creating additional translational challenges implication science reading precisely possible science teaching reading els quite clear known effective literacy instruction nonels foundation effective literacy instruction els however attention must paid students english oral language proficiency relates students expected read engage classroom activitiesthat said would mistake assume els students need explicit instruction need degree englishlanguage support diverse instructional needs individual differences among els among nonels results augur well idea teaching readers use syllable division patterns reading text application effortintensive strategy requires timeconsuming departure text patterns highly consistent would mitigate negative effect effort time needed apply consistent time required strong justificationthere various strategies helping students read long words involve syllable division patterns strategies supporting evidence avoid issues utility cognitive load raised syllable division evidence regarding significance listening comprehension component simple view reading often overlooked advocates science reading research documented importance early oral language skills support decoding listening comprehension young readers plays critical role students success readers move school addition reading understanding research identified complicated constellation skills knowledge impact reading comprehension students advance school represents important step understanding impact common pedagogical activities prereading discussions fluctuate based individual differences among students given diversity life experiences background knowledge classroom essential understand factors impact learning may better serve students reading development whereas scientific evidence base reading acquisition instruction largely clear subskills students need develop less clear effectively teach subskills particularly teachers 2530 young students disparate background knowledge interests classroom also addressing academic social skillsas result educators particularly new field need specific precise guidance exactly bring sor classrooms findings suggest positive effects custom measures vocabulary listening comprehension reading comprehension standardized measures outcomes results also indicate positive effects english learners promise multicomponent interventions include technology much research needed best support language comprehension underserved populations eg students lowincome backgrounds interventions optimized support generalizable language literacy outcomes goal determine best teach reading must rely data evaluate effectiveness teaching rather depending solely even mainly studies reading processes noninstructional phenomena applied teaching analogy logical deduction premature conclusions drawn empirical investigations describe correlate role basic research shaping instruction quite appropriately lies either identifying pedagogical innovations evaluated studies instruction providing evidence buttresses explains results experimental pedagogical study acknowledging importance students language literacy skill development early years life educators may set black students failure refuse recognize frames identify language literacy assets strengths skills dispositions mindsets practices students already possess bring classroom empirical analytic framework sees missing wrong students black students experiences schools become dehumanizing start schoolbecause majoritywhite 80 teachers us schools well study mostly see students like children argue mantra science readingis used silence voices literacy teacher educators teachers rather invite collective exploration possibilities reimagining teacher preparation essential part scientific process effects silencing go beyond profession impact publics access information understanding complexities literacy teaching preparation literacy teachers knowledge plays crucial role comprehension yet educators researchers public need expand thinking whose knowledge matters reframe knowledge gap consider knowledge activated integrated revised text processing reexamine forms knowledge centered instruction thus agree wholeheartedly notion knowledge important place throughout literacy instruction heavily influences comprehension process however caution educators researchers stakeholders oversimplify role knowledge plays comprehension result diminish learning texts positioning students deficient demonstrate adaptive teaching vital characteristic effective reading teachers recommend scholarsthose study reading processes reading acquisition ie sor proponents study effective literacy instructionwork across epistemologies methodologies investigate nuances processes realworld classrooms particularly ways eliminate homogenizing literacy practices campano 2019 contrast sors instruction skills isolation adaptive teaching emphasizes approach pedagogy focuses teaching within authentic opportunities learning valuing individuality students connecting cultural linguistic strengths duffy 2005 fairbanks et al 2010 gambrell hughes calvert malloy igo 2011 purcellgates duke martineau 2007 purcellgates duke stouffer 2016 adaptive teachers flexible skilled teaching reading using knowledge reading acquisition embedding instruction within students instructional needs rich literacies cultures backgrounds pearson hoffman 2011 vagle 2016 complexity instructional demographic sociocultural realities emergent bilinguals united states requires solutions informed various vantage points perspectives complexity also calls critical reading scholarship attention generalizability findings emergent bilinguals new developments studies theories perspectives practices reading instruction focus identities values practice change student achievement scores reading also create spaces teachers students feel empowered engaged cultivating agentive reading lives ever critical students teachers communities work together address endemic racial injustices world today merging evidence psychological models reading comprehension ethnographic research language literacy textual linguistics lines research take position psychological models reading comprehension often overlook written language comprehension production contextembedded sociocultural processes view writers language part cultural tool kit swidler 1986 investigating writers uses academic language reproduce disrupt normative often gendered racialized classed colonized ways knowing inquiry academic communities practice gee 1990 godley reaser 2018 lovenichols 2018 skerrett 2020 urge multidisciplinary scholars make larger body literacy reading researchers consistently engage meaningful ways schools communities coalesce around research agenda values promotes translation research findings authentic school classroom settings