10/8/2024

The Science of Reading: 8 Tips for Transforming Adolescent Literacy in the Classroom

By Pamela Kosten

Do you remember reading mystery books when the characters tried to crack specific codes to solve mysteries? If you were reading those books with relative ease, you would become a mystery solver, breaking the code of reading! The science of reading can equip students to become skilled readers of the English language and can provide a strong foundation for decoding words on the page to read with understanding. 

The Science of Reading

The science of reading offers insights into how humans learn to read and can help guide teachers with evidence-based strategies for literacy instruction. Teachers can use the power of the science of reading to help adolescent students achieve reading success.

At its core, the science of reading emphasizes the importance of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension (Moats, 2020). 

• Phonemic awareness involves recognizing and manipulating the sounds in spoken language, while phonics connects these sounds to written symbols. 
• Vocabulary includes the words students need to understand and use effectively, and fluency refers to the ability to read text smoothly and accurately. 
• Finally, comprehension is the ability to understand what you are reading.

Adolescence is a critical time for literacy development because adolescent students encounter increasingly complex texts. Students are expected to apply their reading skills to learn a variety of subjects at school. Understanding the science of reading helps teachers use strategies that improve students' ability to decode text, understand vocabulary, and comprehend text.

According to the National Center on Improving Literacy (2022), the science of reading can help teachers impact students’ learning and ultimately improve their literacy and lifelong skills. 

Using Evidence-Based Instruction, Addressing Reading Difficulties, and Enhancing Comprehension

As texts become more complex, comprehension can become more challenging for some learners. The science of reading provides strategies to identify and remediate these challenges, offering evidence-based instruction and targeted interventions to help students develop and improve their reading skills.

Fostering Lifelong Skills

Proficiency in reading is essential for academic success, lifelong learning, and personal development. By applying the principles of the science of reading, educators can help adolescents develop strong reading skills that will benefit learners throughout school and for a lifetime.

Tips for Teachers of Adolescents

When I taught middle school, I learned that implementing the science of reading in my classroom required a strategic approach. Here are some tips I used to incorporate the science of reading principles into my daily teaching practice.

1. Assessing Reading Skills: Begin by assessing students' reading abilities to identify areas of strength and weakness. Use assessments to determine whether students need additional support with phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, or comprehension.
2. Incorporating Phonics and Phonemic Awareness: Although adolescents may have already developed some reading skills, revisiting phonics and phonemic awareness can be beneficial. Use targeted instruction to address gaps in these foundational areas, especially for students who struggle with reading.
3. Focusing on Vocabulary Development: Implement strategies to build students' vocabulary, such as explicit instruction of new words, teaching word-learning strategies, such as Greek and Latin roots, and providing rich contexts for using words. Encouraging reading across various genres and subjects can also enhance vocabulary acquisition and a personal connection to text.
4. Promoting Reading Fluency: Encourage regular, sustained reading practice to build fluency. Repeated reading and fluency-focused activities can help students improve their reading rate and accuracy.
5. Teaching Comprehension Strategies: Equip students with strategies to improve their comprehension, such as summarizing, questioning, and connecting texts and prior knowledge. Encourage active reading practices, like annotating texts and discussing content, to deepen understanding.
6. Creating a Supportive Reading Environment: Foster a classroom environment that promotes a love of reading. Provide diverse and engaging texts, create independent and collaborative reading opportunities, and celebrate reading achievements to motivate students.
7. Differentiating Instruction: Recognize students' reading needs and adapt instruction accordingly. Use differentiated strategies to address the diverse abilities within your classroom, so students can receive the support they need to succeed.
8. Collaborating With Families: Collaborate with families to support students' reading development outside the classroom. Share strategies and resources with parents to help them support their children's literacy at home.

Incorporating the science of reading into the adolescent classroom using these tips can transform the way students approach literacy, equipping them with the skills they need to navigate complex texts with confidence. By focusing on phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, teachers can address the unique challenges older students face and help them build a strong foundation for lifelong reading success. With evidence-based strategies and a supportive classroom environment, adolescent literacy can flourish, empowering students to become confident readers and learners well beyond the classroom.

References:

Moats, Louisa C. (2020). Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science (2020): What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able to Do. Washington, DC: American Federation of Teachers.

National Center on Improving Literacy (2022). The Science of Reading: The Basics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Improving Literacy. Retrieved from https://www.improvingliteracy.org.

About the Author

Pamela Kosten is a learning disabilities specialist in New Jersey. She has many years of experience teaching elementary and middle school students with diverse learning characteristics. Currently, she works in a middle and high school as part of a child study team. Kosten is almost finished with her doctorate in reading and literacy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her adult children and small grandchildren, gardening, ballroom and Latin dancing, and reading.