3/19/2024

Can Social Media Grow the Science of Reading Movement?

What role can social media play in advancing the science of reading movement?

Former first grade teacher Jessica Farmer is finding out. The education influencer shares actionable activities and tips with more than 300,000 followers on her Farmer Loves Phonics accounts on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. One thing has become clear to Farmer: Social media has all the tools to make a noticeable impact on the future of the science of reading movement.

Social media could be a transformational tool to break down resistance and offer an easy entry point into the science of reading while also providing a platform for peer-to-peer encouragement and exposing parents to easily digestible evidence-backed practices.

Provides an easy and free entry point

Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook support the science of reading movement through their accessibility. “Almost everyone is on social media and it's free,” Farmer explains.

One key way to ensure a greater dissemination of information is to meet the audience members where they already are. As Farmer explains, most educators, parents, and school administrators are already on social media. Therefore, using the platforms to share information about the science of reading can possibly be more successful than trying to convince these same constituents to read a new newsletter, join a new training, or other unfamiliar scenarios.

“[Cost] is something that keeps a lot of people from getting professional development,” Farmer says. She also emphasizes that when districts have already invested tons of money in big curriculums and trainings, it can be difficult for educators to receive additional funding for further development. So, with its free accessibility, social media can step up in these cases. “It’s a way of getting…information very quickly and at an affordable price,” Farmer says.

One way Farmer uses her accounts to further provide an easy entry point is by keeping her posts and videos easy to understand and relatable. “I'm a former balanced literacy teacher...And so I tried to come from a very understanding place, an uplifting place,” she says. She focuses on making what she shares digestible by using terminology parents and teachers who were trained in balanced literacy can easily comprehend.

Encourages peer-to-peer learning

Social media also allows educators to easily encourage personal development and learning on a peer-to-peer level.

To start, the ability to share posts with a few taps or tag a peer in a post cuts down any resistance that may come with trying to share more cumbersome information outlets with others. Similarly, the short format and engaging quality of videos on social media make content more likely to be shared than traditional, formal delivery methods.

The accessibility of the platforms also means more educators and those trained in the science of reading are creating their own content on the subject to share with followers and their fellow teachers. “To make change, we have to make noise,” Farmer explains. “We have to keep shouting and yelling and telling everybody that we can. And social media is a great way to do that.”

Exposes parents to the science of reading

Aside from making information easily shareable among the teacher community, social media can be an effective tool for looping parents into the science of reading movement. Social media algorithms curate content for each user that they might find relevant based on their past viewing history. Thus, when parents view educational or child-related content, it becomes more likely the algorithm will share with them content from science of reading influencers.

This content can help parents understand the role and value of evidence-backed programs. Informed parents are more likely to have the information they need to rally for change in their children’s schools and districts if needed. Similarly, they walk away with a better idea of how to support their own children at home when possible or needed.

Social media and the science of reading

Social media platforms are the perfect way to break down barriers, increase information sharing, and help all educators, parents, and administrators understand the critical importance of evidence-based practices when it comes to literacy.

On Season 2, Episode 5 of the All For Literacy podcast, host Dr. Liz Brooke sits down with Farmer to discuss how social media provides an effective platform for transferring data-backed practices to educators, administrators, and parents. Listen to the episode now to understand the social media side of the science of reading movement. Subscribe to All For Literacy and never miss an episode.