White Paper: The Settled Science of Teaching Reading

Although educators have been discussing the “right” way to teach reading for decades, the science on this instructional issue is settled. Castles, Rastle, & Nation (2018) lay out that there is a clear progression to effective literacy instruction.

In this white paper, we engage with the research, offer informed guidance, and explore instructional considerations, including:

• the importance of explicit and systematic decoding instruction
• the most effective format for phonics instruction
• the role of comprehension and the ways in which students build a body of knowledge
• the connection between research and classroom practice