7/26/2023

The State of Literacy Affairs

By Maria Murray

At the beginning of each new year, I take time to contemplate the state of affairs in reading education. This practice allows me to understand what is going well on the literacy front and to pinpoint areas that need the most attention in the coming year.

My team and I translate the results of this annual review into strategies, goals, and materials for The Reading League. If you are unfamiliar, The Reading League is a nonprofit organization with the mission to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. We increase stakeholder knowledge of science-based approaches to teaching reading and train and support educators and school leaders.

Coming into 2023, my assessment felt different than in previous years. I was able to move a topic that usually fell into the “What needs work?” category to the “What’s going well?” list. And the “What needs work?” category included a new crucial issue that must be addressed to increase literacy rates worldwide. Let’s explore.

What’s Going Well?

Due to the commitment of thousands of parents, educators, organizations, and communities, the progress of bringing the science of reading to light is nothing short of remarkable. In just a few years, we’ve witnessed barriers between what scientists have discovered and educators’ professional knowledge removed at a pace that I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams.

I expect we will witness growing numbers of reports from the field in the coming months and years that show how the implementation of evidence-aligned practices leads to improved literacy outcomes for students. It is also likely we will see such practices become sustainable in school systems as stakeholders become aware of the promise of the science of reading and are committed to supporting educators.

While we still have far to go when it comes to ending the reading wars and fully relying on the science of reading when it comes to literacy instruction, I have never felt so optimistic about the state of affairs.

What Needs Work?

During the past decade, I have placed the “adoption of the science of reading” into the “What needs work?” category many times. This year, a different challenge takes its spot—the crucial idea of literacy as a civil right.

We are witnessing the long overdue realization that learning to read should not be the privilege of a few. Across the globe, literacy is becoming elevated to a basic and essential human right for all. For example, Ontario’s Human Rights Commissions Right to Read Inquiry states that learning to read is not a privilege but a basic and essential human right. The report provides 157 recommendations about how to address systemic issues that affect the right to learn to read and that, if implemented, will ensure more equitable opportunities and outcomes for students in Ontario’s public education system.

Similarly, literacy advocates like Kareem Weaver boldly challenge us with the sense of urgency surrounding reading as a civil right. I recently witnessed a room of hundreds of educators go silent as he pushed them to name their price for their ability to read and then to do the same for their own children’s abilities to read. The crowd agreed both are priceless. Weaver pushed harder, asking: Why do we tolerate a system that does not guarantee everyone’s children receive that essential human right of literacy? This an excellent question for thought.

At The Reading League, we believe so strongly in literacy as a civil right that we deliberately designed our defining guide in 2022 to include essential language. Our “Science of Reading: Defining Guide” provides a common definition of what the science of reading is and what it is not. The guide reads:

“We believe that literacy success for all is the defining human right of the 21st century, regardless of zip code, ethnic origin, dialect, or language. We urge you to join us by insisting that all children are afforded instruction that prepares them to read and write at proficient and advanced levels. Children who are skilled readers and writers will be empowered by their literacy and will refuse to be defined by the low expectations of others.”

Join us as we continue to promote literacy as a civil right. Hopefully, we can shift the subject from “What needs work?” to “What’s going well?” very soon.

Listen to Lexia's webinar with Dr. Maria Murray, president and CEO of The Reading League, and Dr Lousia Moats as they discuss what actionable steps you can take to tackle social inequity and make evidence-based instruction available for all students.