Getting Certified in the Science of Teaching Reading

Written by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

The Science of Reading

Reading is one of the most foundational skills students learn in school, but there is often discussion and debate about the best practices to use when teaching reading. The science of teaching reading examines various modes of teaching students to read and evaluates which works best. Two of the main ways of teaching reading are the use of phonics and whole-language instruction.

Phonics

Phonics is used to teach children how to recognize the sound-symbol relationship between letters and letter combinations and their sounds when decoded or read. Students learn the sounds through word games, flashcards, worksheets, and repetition.

In English, there are 26 letters and 44 phonemes (or sounds) corresponding to given letters or letter combinations. Both single letters and letter combinations can often produce more than one sound. Systematically memorizing these phonemes helps students with decoding and the connected skill of spelling.

Whole Language

Whole language enables students to recognize words in their entirety. Students not only memorize words but also utilize tools, such as finding small words within larger words, using contextual clues, and using words that they do know to help decode unknown words (for example, if words have a similar ending and therefore end in the same sound).

Those who teach the science of reading by this method emphasize actual reading, exposing students to level-appropriate texts to help expand their reading vocabulary and knowledge. This method also uses rhymes, helping students through poems and songs to learn how the English language works.

Phonics vs Whole Language

For many years, whole language was the preferred method of teaching reading. However, in 1955, Rudolf Flesch questioned the wisdom of that approach and said that phonics would help more children read better; the debate has raged ever since.

In 1997, the United States Congress established the National Reading Panel to study the science of reading strategies and explore the various methods used in reading instruction. Teachers, administrators, parents, representatives from colleges, and reading experts were all included in the group. Three years later, in 2000, they submitted their report highlighting five components of early literacy:

• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension

With the National Reading Panel's report, the pendulum swung in phonics' favor, but some elements of whole language instruction are still used when teaching reading. When providing reading instruction, an either/or dichotomy between phonics and whole language is not needed. Instead, an approach that blends both methods can help all children learn to read well.

Children can be exposed to phonemes and learn the sounds that letters and letter combinations make to be able to sound out words. This helps them decode all the words they meet in reading, whether they have previously been exposed to them or not. At the same time, exposure to a wide variety of literature, both through parents and teachers reading to them and through their own reading, will help students develop their vocabulary and fluency and can foster a love of reading.

How to Become Certified to Teach Reading

For those who want to become a reading teacher, there are several steps to take to become certified to teach reading. These steps include:

1. Earn a Degree in Education: Most states require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in education to become a certified teacher. Coursework should include topics related to literacy instruction and may include classes in children's and teen literature and courses centered on teaching reading. Earning a master's degree may be required to become a reading specialist, and future reading teachers might want to attend a program that focuses exclusively on literacy instruction.
2. Complete Student Teaching: As part of an education degree, prospective teachers are required to gain experience in the classroom. Student teaching provides the opportunity to teach under the direction and mentorship of a more experienced teaching professional. A prospective reading specialist will want to complete a student teaching experience in this area.
3. Fulfill State Requirements for Certification: Each state has its own certification requirements, such as the TExES Test in Texas. It is important to check with the Department of Education in individual states for the requirements for becoming a reading teacher. These can include obtaining the necessary college degree, having teaching experience in a classroom, or passing any required exams. For example, in Texas, there is a TExES 151 exam for Reading Specialists that is required for those wanting to teach reading. As of 2021, most aspiring teachers in Texas wanting to teach at the elementary or middle school level must also pass the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) Exam, which tests them on concepts related to teaching reading and student literacy.

The Science of Teaching Reading: Strategies

Teaching students to read can be challenging, but the National Reading Panel has identified several effective strategies for teaching reading. Due to learning differences such as dyslexia and neurodiversity, not all students learn to read the same way, but focusing on developing the below five specific skills will help children increase their reading ability.

• Phonemic Awareness: Children need to be aware of the various sounds that make up English words. They learn this through hearing spoken language, exposure to rhymes, and playing word games.
• Phonics: Students learn to break down words into their smallest parts and then sound the word out by connecting those parts.
• Fluency: The more students read, the more they can read quickly and accurately. It is vital for students to have the opportunity to read level-appropriate texts to practice reading and develop the ability to read with ease. Practicing reading both orally and silently can help with this skill.
• Vocabulary: Children learn new words through both hearing and reading them. Reading to children as well as engaging them in conversation helps them expand their vocabulary and increases the likelihood that they will recognize those words in print.
• Reading Comprehension: Once a child can read fluently, they can develop their reading comprehension. At that point, a student is no longer learning to read but rather reading to learn and appreciate the ideas the words convey. Developing reading comprehension helps students understand what they are reading, enjoy literature, and connect the knowledge gained from texts to their schoolwork or other tasks.

Prospective educators learning how to teach students to read should always keep these skills in mind and help children work toward achieving mastery of them. Teaching reading strategies such as these will help students gain the skills they need to read effectively for both learning and pleasure.

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Skills

No discussion of the best way to teach kids to read is complete without exploring what it means to have phonemic awareness and phonics skills. Direct instruction in phonemic awareness helps students develop the skill of hearing the sounds when words are spoken or read.

Teaching Phonemic Awareness

Ways to teach phonemic awareness include having children make new words by changing the beginning or ending sound of a word. For example, "cat" becomes "mat," which can then become "rat" when the initial consonants are changed. Changing ending sounds can transform "rat" into "ran" or "ram."

Children can also pick out the word that doesn't fit with other words in a spoken list. For example, the word that begins with a different sound. Clapping hands to count the syllables in a word is another way to help build phonemic awareness.

Teaching Phonics Skills

Phonics is connected to phonemic awareness. It uses segmenting, breaking down words into smaller parts, and then blending and combining sounds to make words. This helps students decode written words.

A phonics lesson can include asking children to play games where they find all the items in a room whose names start with a given sound or creating rhymes with words that end with the same sound. Students could also sort pictures of words into piles based on what sounds they begin or end with.

Students can use phonics skills to sound out words, even words they may not have been previously exposed to. Often, students will be taught to run their pointer finger under a word, pointing to each letter or blending as they sound out the text. Students learning these skills may read slowly and methodically, sounding out every word. With time, their familiarity with words increases. They no longer need to sound out each word, and when they do need to sound out a word, they can do it quicker.

Oral and Silent Reading

Both guided oral reading and silent reading help to build fluency, which is the ability to read quickly and accurately.

Guided Oral Reading

Guided oral reading is a strategy that entails having a student read a passage aloud with a proficient reader listening to them to offer feedback, encouragement, and correction (if needed). Students may read the same passage or a short book over and over. When they first encounter the text, they may read slowly, needing to sound out most of the words. The more times they read it, however, the easier it becomes to decode. Repeated readings can improve a child's speed, intonation, and reading comprehension. Eventually, the student should be able to read the passage fluently.

The proficient reader must be sitting with the student or have their own copy of the text to verify every word is being read correctly. Feedback should be provided immediately while reading. Sometimes this can be as simple as pointing out the word and inviting the child to look at it again and make another attempt at decoding it. Those still learning to read benefit more by having someone sit with them and listen to them read so that the student can receive this needed feedback. Without it, the child cannot correct their errors, and reading ability and fluency will not improve.

Guided reading can be done in a small group setting in a classroom, with the teacher having a few students take turns reading. It can also be done at home with a parent or other adult.

Silent Reading

As the name implies, silent reading is a teaching method where the student reads silently to themselves. For the youngest learners, this may mean sitting quietly with a book while looking at the pictures. As the student develops their reading skills, silent reading can expand to include reading for pleasure or reading to learn new subjects. All reading is beneficial in terms of increasing a child's ability and enjoyment of reading.

Students already proficient at decoding benefit the most from silent reading, and this activity can be done during school at an assigned time or encouraged when a student has completed a task and is waiting for other students to finish.

Vocabulary Development

Children generally begin to build vocabulary first by listening to those around them speak to them and each other. Babies and children learn even more words by being regularly read to. Even children's books use a wider variety of words than people tend to use in everyday speech. Reading to children is essential for helping to develop their vocabulary.

When it comes to learning to read, having a wide vocabulary helps. Children are more likely to recognize words in print if they have heard them before. They will also understand the word's meaning once they decode it, which will aid in reading comprehension.

As students grow and progress through school, they are expected to learn many new words, many of which are not usually used in their daily lives. Teachers are responsible for helping expose students to vocabulary they are likely to encounter in both fiction and nonfiction. Some words may have multiple meanings that depend on the context or subject in which a word is used. Students must not only be familiar with the word but also be aware of these additional uses.

Teachers can help students expand their vocabulary by teaching common prefixes used to change the meaning of a word. Games can be used to help students create lists of words with these prefixes and challenge them to learn new words. Instructors can also teach common Latin and Greek root words that are frequently used in more complex writing.

Setting up a word wall in a classroom with interesting vocabulary words is one way to introduce students to new words. These can be words that will be used in upcoming lessons or words based on a particular root word. Students can also be challenged to see how many synonyms or antonyms they can find for a simple word. Expanding student vocabulary will not only help with reading and understanding; it will also help with their writing.

How to Teach Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension includes understanding and remembering what is read. Students need to read fluently to comprehend what they are reading. It is difficult to focus on what the passage means if they struggle to decode words. Once those basic reading skills are developed, it is important for reading teachers to know how to teach reading comprehension using effective teaching techniques.

• Ask Questions: Teachers can ask questions about the reading passage, which can encourage students to recall and interact with what they have read. They can also urge students to ask their questions while reading to see if they can discover the answers while reading.
• Visualize: Reading teachers can invite children to imagine what is happening in a story or a nonfiction passage. Creating images will help students remember more. Asking students to create illustrations can help them make connections with what they read.
• Evaluate Text: Teaching students how to differentiate fact from opinion can help them develop the skills to discern what are the key points of the text and what is supporting information. In textbooks, key terms are often bolded or highlighted in some way. Students can also learn to take notes on their reading to help them organize their thoughts and recall key facts or plot points.
• Make Connections: Teachers can help students connect new ideas with what they have previously learned by prompting them to compare and contrast what they are reading with other concepts or ideas. How does a new work of literature connect with other stories they have read or heard? How does the information presented in a nonfiction text add to their previous knowledge? Does this new information change their outlook on a topic?
• Foster Conversation: Group discussion can greatly aid reading comprehension. Students may remember different parts of a story or facts about the topic. Having conversations about what each student found to be important or debating a topic can help all students engage with the material and remember more.

The Role of Parents in Teaching Reading

Parents are a child's first teachers, and there is much they can do to help their children develop reading skills.