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The Science of Reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research. This research has been conducted over the last five decades, and it is derived from thousands of studies from developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. This body of work gives us a clear picture of how students learn to read and write.
This report, published in 2000, is the product of the National Reading Panel established to evaluate existing research and evidence to find the best ways of teaching children to read. The 14-member panel included members from different backgrounds, including school administrators, working teachers, and scientists involved in reading research. The National Reading Panel's analysis made it clear that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates: explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, systematic phonics instruction, methods to improve fluency, and ways to enhance comprehension.
American Public Media
Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong
"There's an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. Teaching methods based on this idea can make it harder for children to learn how to read. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promote this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an exposé of how educators came to believe in something that isn't true and are now reckoning with the consequences — children harmed, money wasted, an education system upended."
