8/8/2024

Shifting to the Science of Reading: 5 Tips for Effective Instructional Leadership

As a school administrator, you juggle a host of competing and ever-shifting priorities, from setting policy and managing budgets to overseeing educators and directing schoolwide instructional improvement efforts. Transitioning from balanced literacy to Structured Literacy requires school leaders to spend even more time in instructional leadership roles, where they’re asked to guide educators through a profound shift in the way they approach reading instruction. 

Many districts nationwide have seen positive outcomes after moving to Structured Literacy. Grounded firmly in the science of reading, this research-based approach equips educators with a deep understanding of how students learn to read and the most effective strategies to support learning. To initiate, sustain, and build upon these literacy gains, you must get buy-in from teachers, staff, and families—not to mention district leadership. 

To drive real literacy transformation, it’s critical for administrators to step into the role of instructional leader. This means showing a deep curiosity for and understanding of the science of reading—and its ability to level the playing field for all students—as well as providing teachers with the road map they need to bring the science of reading to life in their classrooms. 

Here are five tips to help you positively influence literacy learning in your school.

1. Prioritize Building Relationships

“It’s important to let people know that you care about them. You care about them as teachers, you care about them as individuals, you care about them as human beings away from the school building.” 
–Rich Zigarovich, Principal, Lordstown Elementary School, Ohio

You can show you prioritize relationships by developing strong connections with your students, educators, and staff. To impact culture change, administrators must ensure everyone feels their experience and input is valued and respected. 

Teachers want to feel appreciated—both as individuals and professionals. When teamwork is prioritized and an environment is fostered where educators feel comfortable sharing feedback and asking for support, schools are poised to retain experienced teachers. School environments that promote openness and conflict resolution can mitigate issues that lead to burnout, and teachers who feel valued are more likely to engage in meaningful interactions with their peers and students.

Here are some ways you can strengthen building-level relationships with educators and staff:

• Invest in robust professional learning that emphasizes collaboration.
• Hold regular meetings in which teachers and staff feel comfortable discussing challenges and sharing wins.
• Acknowledge and celebrate building achievements and milestones.
• Create an “open door” culture in which educators feel comfortable sharing new ideas and concerns.
• Promote cultural competence by celebrating diversity and supporting inclusivity in all school practices.

Student voices matter, too. By greeting students, visiting classrooms and after-school events, and encouraging students to voice their opinions, you can demonstrate that you value input from every community member.

2. Cultivate a Positive School Culture of Learning

"With a leader who listens to their teachers and puts those pieces in place, you can make magic happen." 
–John Arthur, 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year

As a school administrator, you set the tone for staff in your building and shepherd in systemwide change. It’s not enough to ask teachers to embrace new programs and put them into practice—you must help educators successfully navigate change by building a culture that supports professional learning and growth. By giving teachers the space and opportunity to try new approaches and give feedback, you can simultaneously make change feel less overwhelming and expand teacher capacity.

According to educator-author Thomas Murray, school administrators can create a positive culture of learning through:

• Leading by example: Establish clear academic standards and set high expectations for student achievement.
• Cultivating teacher leadership: Provide ongoing professional learning opportunities that support instructional strategies.
• Striking a balance between leadership and building management: While attention to building operations is essential, providing a clear vision for student learning is even more critical.
• Showing support staff their opinions matter: Paraprofessionals who help striving learners should be involved in instructional decision-making. 
• Making staff meetings meaningful: Use meeting time to discuss professional learning insights and strategies that work in the classroom.

When teachers have the resources, guidance, and encouragement they need, they are optimally positioned to implement science of reading practices and drive significant improvements in student outcomes.

3. Stay Informed and Engaged With Instructional Practices

“With the science of reading as our guide, the sky is the limit for us.” 
–Jerry Collins, Ph.D., Principal, Central Elementary School, Alabama

By keeping abreast of research-based practices that support effective teaching strategies, administrators can help drive continuous improvement and prepare students for academic success. Here are some ways you can stay up to date on what works in the classroom:

• Engage in professional learning: Attend educational workshops, seminars, and conferences that provide the latest research on evidence-based instructional practices and tools.
• Meet with instructional coaches: Ask your instructional coaches or curriculum specialists for their insights on literacy instruction and resources.
• Attend department meetings: Gain a better understanding of instructional practices that are working in your school.
• Forge professional networks: Network with other administrators in professional associations and online communities to learn more about what works.
• Analyze data and teacher feedback: Regularly review student assessment data to see how literacy instruction impacts achievement, and get input from teachers about the instructional practices they find effective.

Piloting new instructional programs and tools can further help your district gather data on instructional effectiveness. By encouraging educators to try novel practices, you can empower them to have an even more significant impact on literacy instruction in your building.

4. Support Teacher Growth and Development

"My success stories lie more within the teachers … I have in my building [who] work with the students on a daily basis. Seeing a renewed spirit in them and passion to help students succeed has been truly inspiring!" 
–Brandi Sims, Principal, Hindman Elementary, Kentucky

Change is difficult, and new programs take time to build momentum. Over the years, teachers have been asked to adapt to remote learning, embrace new curricula, and take on more responsibilities amid staff shortages. Professional learning is essential for big shifts in instructional practices. By offering meaningful professional learning and opportunities for peer collaboration such as the following, you can better prepare teachers to make this shift.

• Provide ongoing professional learning focused on literacy: Consider educators’ needs and interests.
• Support professional learning communities (PLCs): Allow time for teachers to collaborate and share best practices.
• Give teachers the time they need to plan and practice evidence-based literacy instruction: Create space for educators to try out new strategies, observe and learn from each other, and collaborate with you to hone their craft.
• Provide leadership opportunities: Empower teacher leaders to serve as curriculum and instruction specialists or PLC leaders.
• Invest in resources and support: Ensure teachers have the technology, training, and resources to promote literacy learning for all students.
• Offer constructive feedback: Provide formative evaluations and peer coaching to help teachers improve their literacy instruction.

By supporting teacher growth and development, you can foster an environment where teachers feel better prepared, more confident, and equipped to succeed. 

5. Utilize Evidence-Based Resources

“Lexia® LETRS® for Administrators has shifted my entire viewpoint on how to teach students to read. My job entails creating systems that grow learners. It feels like there is finally an 'a-ha!' and it is SO validating! Growing our readers is attainable, and now that I know what we need to do, I know that we CAN do it!” 
–Autumn Slankard, Instructional Coach, Newport Primary School, Kentucky

Research shows that only 35% of students are reading proficiently, but 95% of students CAN learn to read with instruction and materials rooted in the science of reading. Learning to read is challenging because reading requires multiple parts of the brain to work together, while teaching reading requires a deep understanding of the science behind how students learn to read, why students spell the way they do, and how phonemic awareness and phonics lead to comprehension. Here are some ways you can ensure your team and your students are positioned for success:

• Invest in evidence-based professional learning in grades pre-K–8: While teachers prove to be the most essential factor in student success, only about half of teacher preparation programs effectively prepare teachers for literacy instruction, and few middle school teachers are prepared to work with struggling adolescent readers. Data from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed that 69% of eighth grade students are non-proficient readers, making it imperative for middle school teachers to get the training needed to bring their students up to speed. When evaluating evidence-based professional learning programs, The Learning Policy Institute recommends looking for the following key elements:

  • Content focus: Has an intentional focus on curriculum development and pedagogies in Structured Literacy
  • Active learning: Engages teachers directly in designing and trying out teaching strategies, providing them with opportunities to engage in the same style of learning they are designing for their students
  • Collaboration: Creates space for teachers to share ideas and collaborate in their learning, often in job-embedded contexts
  • Use of models and modeling: Provides a clear vision of what best practices look like, including lesson plans, samples of student work, and video or written cases of teaching
  • Coaching and mentor support: Allows for the sharing of expertise about content and evidence-based practices focused directly on teachers’ specific needs
  • Sustained duration: Gives teachers adequate time to learn, practice, implement, and reflect upon new strategies that facilitate changes in their practice
  • Data-driven: Uses student data to inform and evaluate professional learning needs and outcomes

By reviewing each of these elements, you can identify the professional learning programs that are more likely to be effective in improving teacher practice and student literacy outcomes.

• Adopt and implement Structured Literacy programs that support grades pre-K–8: In addition to supporting foundational learning, your literacy program should support all learners, including students with dyslexia, Emergent Bilingual students, and adolescent readers. There are several clearinghouses and resources available to help you evaluate evidence-based programs, including: 

  • What Works Clearinghouse (WWC): A leading source for evidence-based education research, the WWC reviews existing research on different programs, products, practices, and policies in education.
  • Evidence for ESSA: This resource specifically focuses on programs that meet the evidence standards of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and provides ratings for reading interventions at different grade levels, including elementary, middle, and high school.
  • Lexia’s Science of Reading Week 2024: This event featured panelists, guests, and educators who shared their insights about integrating the science of reading. Several articles, films, podcasts, and tools were referenced during these discussions.

When looking for evidence-based literacy resources, it's important to consider each solution’s level of evidence (strong, moderate, or promising) as defined by ESSA standards, the specific needs of your students and teachers, the grade levels and subgroups targeted by the intervention, and the reading components addressed. By using these clearinghouses and considering factors unique to your school, you can make more informed decisions.

Lexia® LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), a professional learning course designed for pre-K–5 teachers and developed by Dr. Louisa Moats, and Lexia Aspire® Professional Learning, designed to help educators in grades 4–8 support student literacy across all content areas, can help you guide literacy transformation in your schools. With Lexia’s professional learning solutions, school leaders don’t have to navigate their science of reading implementation alone. eLearning resources such as Lexia® Academy and on-site services such as Lexia Success Partnerships help administrators become champions for change and blossom into effective instructional leaders.

Change takes time. By prioritizing science of reading implementation and supporting teachers along their literacy journey, administrators can take the next step into instructional leadership.

Discover how you can catalyze literacy transformation in your school with professional learning grounded in the science of reading.