The “Science of Reading” has recently become a common phrase among educators, and its implications are worth exploring. We suggest reading the link below from the Northwest Evaluation Association. We know almost nothing about NWEA, but their description is brief and useful.
The science of reading explained
As you see, five major skill areas are highlighted, and, as we have previously pointed out, the Stevenson Reading Program incorporates specific instruction in each of the five main categories mentioned.
Many of you will know that during the last two decades, there was great emphasis placed on using
“Research Based Reading Methods.” However, the research on individual programs has recently been questioned, as you will see in this article:
https://hechingerreport.org/proof-points-leading-dyslexia-treatment-isnt-a-magic-bullet- studies-show-while-other-options-show-promise/
The emphasis has shifted from individual research studies to the overall conclusions that can be made. The results are fairly clear. Good reading instruction needs to include the following areas:
- Phonological awareness
- Phonics and word recognition
- Fluency
- Vocabulary and oral language comprehension
- Text comprehension
Stevenson teaches these abilities in UNIQUE ways. Download PDF to see more.