Ohio elementary schools are moving to the Science of Reading, an approach that emphasizes phonics along with vocabulary- and knowledge-rich content. Keen on learning what this transition looks like inside classrooms, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute asked Ellen Belcher, a former journalist with the Dayton Daily News, to visit Margaretta Local…

This longitudinal study investigates the shifting roles of phonological awareness (PA) and morpho-lexical knowledge in Hebrew word reading fluency from kindergarten to Grade 4. The research addresses the developmental question regarding the relative importance of morphology versus phonology among beginning and more advanced readers. 440…

LXD Research analyzed data from 405 students from kindergarten through first grade who either participated in using the 95 Phonics Core Program (95PCP) or served as comparison students in a school district in AZ during the school year 2022-2023. This product adds explicit and systematic phonics instruction to the daily reading block. The…

The aim of this research is to reveal the effects of symbolic play content activities organized in kindergarten to first reading and writing skills. For this purpose, mixed-method research has been designed. In the first stage of this research, four experiments, including pretest-posttest applied, a paired experiment-control group, were applied.…

This research article uses content analysis and descriptive analysis to examine phonics proficiency in first-grade students having difficulty learning to read, specifically examining those with and without characteristics associated with dyslexia. Writing samples from a dictation task were collected and analyzed at the beginning of the school year…

This study investigated differences in adult-child language interactions when parents and their three-to-four-year old children engage in wordless book reading, text-and-picture book reading and a small-world toy play activity. Twenty-two parents recorded themselves completing each activity at home with their child. Parent input was compared…

This brief and infographic highlights the importance of explicit vocabulary instruction as part of intensifying reading instruction, with a focus on what to teach and how to teach it. Grounded in the science of reading, this resource offers practical guidance to help educators deliver instruction that is clear, accessible, and effective for all…

In this article, one teacher shares her journey using decodable books with her culturally and linguistically diverse students, documenting new understandings and tensions that she has encountered. Four literacy teacher educators augment the teacher's story by connecting it with the current literature on literacy and decodable books. After reading…

This report focuses on a 2023-2024 implementation of "My Reading Academy" at Epic Charter Schools in Oklahoma. "My Reading Academy" was first used with a small pilot group of students and educators at the charter school network in school year 2022-2023, and based on the initial positive results, the implementation of the…

Preschool children considered at risk for future reading difficulties experience unique and complex combinations of risk factors. In this exploratory study, we used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate the underlying classifications of children identified as at-risk for reading difficulties (N = 281) along selected cognitive,…

Preschool children considered at risk for future reading difficulties experience unique and complex combinations of risk factors. In this exploratory study, we used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate the underlying classifications of children identified as at-risk for reading difficulties (N = 281) along selected cognitive,…

In this article, I (a) overview the ebbs and flows of two beginning reading approaches (code-emphasis and balanced instruction) used in U.S. schools from 1950 to the present; (b) compare and contrast the two instructional approaches; and (c) suggest some simple assessment procedures that can be used to measure student learning. In closing, I…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how educators in the United States described their pedagogical approaches to teaching reading to children with dyslexia. This study used Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB) as its foundation. Three research questions regarding how U.S. educators describe their pedagogical…

This article reports the outcomes of community participation and quality learning education resulting from the MEMBACA II project. MEMBACA (Making Early Matter through Books and Community Action) is a literacy project that targets young children in Indonesia. The MEMBACA project includes teacher training, community reading activities, and…

Teachers of beginning readers have choices in the books they select. A careful look at the features of books provides an informed basis for choosing books that engage young readers. In this article we share insights from a comparative content analysis of leveled readers and Geisel award books that can motivate children to read and prepare them for…