A picture of Dr. Louisa Moats and the definition of the Science of Reading.

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE OF READING?

The Science of Reading is a body of work based on decades of research on how children learn to read, what happens when children struggle, and what reading instruction works best. The conclusions are drawn from educational researchers and cognitive scientists who have studied how reading develops in the brain.

Key research findings include:

Unlike speaking, the human brain is not wired for reading. Reading is not natural — it must be explicitly taught.

Every child learns to read the same way. The brain mechanisms for reading are the same for everyone.

Proficient readers primarily activate regions on the left side of the brain when reading.

Struggling readers show under-activation in key left-brain regions and over-activation in areas on the right side of the brain.

When systematic, targeted reading instruction is provided, the brain changes, rewires, and creates new neural circuits. The areas that process language become more activated and brain connections strengthen.

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For more information about the Science of Reading, please view the resource, ”What is the Science of Reading?" by The Reading League.

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The Simple View of Reading, proposed by researchers Gough and Tunmer (1986), is a scientific theory of reading that states that reading comprehension is the product of two essential skills: decoding ability and language comprehension. Decoding is the ability to apply sound-symbol relationships to read words accurately and fluently. Language comprehension is the ability to understand spoken language.

The Simple View of Reading provides a framework for identifying where a student is struggling and what needs to be taught. Children with Dyslexia typically have adequate language (listening) comprehension skills but struggle significantly with word-level reading and decoding. Without decoding skills, a child cannot comprehend what they read, regardless of how strong their listening comprehension may be.

According to Gough and Tunmer, the most efficient path to reading comprehension success is explicit, systematic instruction in decoding skills, ideally taught to mastery in the early years. Most students need intensive instruction to achieve early mastery. This is why I prioritize early intervention and provide explicit instruction in the essential components of literacy using the Structured Literacy and Orton-Gillingham approaches, grounded in the Science of Reading.

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For more information about the Simple View of Reading, please view the resource, "What is Reading? The Simple View" by Dr. Laura Justice

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CREATING LITERACY SUCCESS & EMPOWERING CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE OF READING?

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THE SIMPLE VIEW OF READING

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CREATING LITERACY SUCCESS & EMPOWERING CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE OF READING?

Learn More

THE SIMPLE VIEW OF READING

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