Accelerating Learning in Literacy

When teachers talk about how literacy develops, they often describe it as having two key stages: learning to read, and then reading to learn. This makes a lot of sense; however, between “learning to…” and “reading to…,” we find incredible insights about reading.

To become successful readers, students build skills in what are commonly known as the five pillars of early literacy and reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Each pillar contains key concepts students continually acquire and refine, such as working with sounds to develop phonemic awareness, using phonics to relate sounds to letters, and building vocabulary by attaching meaning to words. After a grounding in those areas, comprehension—when words become ideas and students understand the meaning of text—and fluency develop as students read accurately, smoothly, and expressively to convey that meaning.

Teachers play a critical role in supporting and guiding students as they develop these foundational literacy skills. They rely on Science of Reading research and proven best practices to accelerate learning in literacy that include targeting the skills students need for success, providing ample time and opportunities for practicing those skills, and using data to guide students to greater growth.

How practice builds strong readers

Reading is unique to each reader—some bring a wealth of vocabulary and knowledge to reading, while others may not have had access to the same experiences. Reading practice can level that playing field. Evidence-based reading instruction and intentionally scheduled reading practice serve as the foundation for your students to engage in self-teaching.

How so? Once we master the sound-based system of our language, our reading growth depends more than anything on building vocabulary and background knowledge. Your building blocks are the books and articles you choose to read for practice, for new insights, and for enjoyment: those that fascinate you, those a teacher or friend recommended, and those that just look inviting. The more you practice, the more you grow.

As students read, they sharpen their decoding skills, acquire vocabulary, and build background knowledge. While fluency and automaticity remain essential components of reading, active and regular readers—those who read across genres and who read daily—build substantial reservoirs of vocabulary and knowledge. We can encourage this type of wide reading by ensuring that books are not just available but are easily accessible in all the spaces and formats students could possibly want them.

Why reading should also be fun

Anyone who has spent time with children and young people knows that getting their cooperation is a lot easier if it’s fun. For some students, reading doesn’t top their list of fun activities, especially if they’re struggling to develop the basic reading skills to make them successful. Once they’ve established those foundational skills and can comprehend text, they’ll read more, both purposefully and for pleasure, to learn about the world around them.

While we all enjoy puzzles and challenges from time to time, when a task is too hard, it’s just frustrating. For students, the key is hitting the sweet spot between enjoyment and challenge. This includes building literacy skills in a logically sequential or teachable order to move from where they are to where they need to be next. It also means enabling reading at levels that are enjoyable and enriching while also providing scaffolds and supports to help readers work through any challenges they encounter.

If your students find joy in reading, they will read. Finding joy requires access to a wide variety of interesting things to read—fiction, history, biographies, adventure, news, science, and more. Students thrive when they have a choice in what they read for independent reading practice. Choice supports joyful reading.

Using reading data to accelerate growth

It may seem hard to dedicate time to reading practice amid competing priorities and busy lives. But reading practice time isn’t free time or wasted time—it’s learning time that happens to be enjoyable too. By measuring, monitoring, and guiding student reading practice, educators get important insights, like:

• Are students getting enough “just right” practice to help them grow?
• Is their reading wide and diverse enough to enable growth?
• Are they practicing and mastering the skills they need to grow?
• Are they growing enough to meet grade-level expectations?

The common denominator is growth. Teachers need easy and accurate ways to regularly check on student reading activity and assess skill development. With this information in hand, they can intervene quickly when needed, before students fall too far behind. They can plan instruction for a whole class, small group, and individual students that aligns with state standards while aiding in learning recovery. In short, they can accelerate learning in literacy.

Readers, like artists and athletes, do the work of growing: they practice. Reading provides independence, strength, and a voice to share your insights. Reading practice is central to building reading skill and the joy found in reading texts of your own choosing. Let’s grow!

Literacy for all 

Teaching students to read and helping them become lifelong, competent readers has long been a focus of educators across the globe. Now, with increased focus on learning recovery, high-dosage tutoring, and early intervention, more educators than ever are turning to technology tools to meet the needs of all their students.

Educators are looking for engaging texts and activities at the appropriate levels to help their students develop the skills they need. Students want to use materials that are interesting and fun, give them options that align with their interests, and provide support in case they struggle. Renaissance delivers all of this and more, allowing teachers to track and guide students’ literacy growth from the very earliest stages through their development into strong, confident readers.