Building a Science of Reading Foundation: It Takes More Than Training
I never planned on becoming a literacy coach - initially, my heart was set on a career as an ELA teacher. My second year of teaching dramatically shifted my perspective, though, when I realized most of my high school students couldn't read.
It was 2012, and I was teaching 9th-12th graders at an urban charter school in Massachusetts, juggling prepping for six different classes daily. During the first week, a reading interest survey revealed that my students Did. Not. Read., and I noticed baffling classroom behaviors.
When asked to independently read, students would pretend to read, flipping through the book. They’d take unnecessary trips to sharpen pencils, grab tissues, and throw things away. Only a few students would volunteer to read aloud or share their thoughts on readings in class. I began to suspect that my students could not read - but I didn’t know how to figure that our, or how to help them. As each class took place I quickly began to feel defeated - how could I teach my students content if they could not read?
When we see students’ displaying behaviors that show they’re struggling to read - we need to lean in by gathering information and asking questions. Their behaviors are a distress signal that needs our immediate attention. I wish this distress signal could be answered just by training educators in the science of reading - that is only part of work we need to do to help our students.
In this blog post, I will introduce a quick 5 minute science of reading assessment that provides insight to both the individual educator’s basic knowledge of the science of reading and school-wide systems — two critical components for achieving literacy success across an entire school.
The Science of Reading: Unlocking Literacy for All
Driven by a desire to help my students, I entered a three year Literacy Education masters program that focused on preparing reading specialists and literacy coaches. I was eager to bring effective strategies back to my classroom - I learned how to figure out my students reading abilities, and I began implementing evidence-based strategies I was learning and saw immediate results.
Rather than sitting lost and confused, I began to help my students build metacognition: What do we do when we get to a word and we don’t know how to read it? What about when we don’t know what a word means? What do readers do when they read a sentence and don’t understand what it’s about? This shift empowered my students, and I saw an increase in their participation in classwork and discussions.
I then left the classroom and became a reading specialist because I wanted to support even more students in my school. Soon, other teachers began seeking my guidance, wanting to learn how to support students in their own classrooms. I did what I could to help, but my schedule was packed with student interventions, leaving little time for teacher support. That's when I realized I could make an even greater impact as a literacy coach.
I began coaching those who wanted the help first - and while that was helpful, many students were still being left behind without school-wide implementation. The teachers doing the work quickly began to feel defeated, saying things like “What’s the point of all of this if my students don’t get the help they need in their other classes, and move on to teachers next year who have no idea how to help them?”
I got what they were saying - this reasoning was why I had left the classroom myself. I knew my efforts in isolation were not going to be enough. The difference made when all teachers are trained in the Science of Reading, using the same language and tools across all classrooms, is incredibly powerful. Today, I’ve seen it.
Simply having educators who know the Science of Reading isn't enough. Even if every teacher in a school attends training and grasps the principles, real change requires more than individual knowledge. School-wide transformation demands a unified approach, structures of support, and a clear path forward. The real magic happens when the entire school moves together, as one unified force.
So what are these key pieces needed for school-wide transformation? What is the role of leadership?
Assess Your Readiness: The 20-Question Check-Up
To help you assess your current standing, I've created a free 20-question assessment available on Root Literacy Design’s website. This ready-to-use-in-your-setting assessment provides insights into both individual educator knowledge (part 1) and school-wide readiness (part 2):
Part 1 (Questions 1-10): This section focuses on evaluating an individual educator's foundational understanding of the Science of Reading.
Part 2 (Questions 11-20): Shifts the focus to a school’s infrastructure. These questions delve into the systems, resources, and leadership support for Science of Reading implementation, exploring whether the school has a clear vision, action plan, evidence-based curriculum, appropriate assessment tools, and more. This section helps pinpoint areas where the school might need strengthening.
This assessment is a valuable tool to start the processes of self-reflection and strategic planning. By gaining and initial understanding of both individual strengths and school needs, you can begin to create a targeted plan for lasting literacy improvement.
Don't let your Science of Reading efforts fall flat. Take the assessment today and start building the strong foundation your students deserve. This work isn’t meant to be done alone. Pulling together is the only way we can ensure all of our students can read and write.
Until all of our students can read and write,
Heather Ballantine
