Coach's
Column
Amanda Gooch
November 1, 2025
To circle back on what we focused on during the workshop, we want to remind you that the Science of Reading is an interdisciplinary body of research from fields like education, psychology, and neuroscience that explains how humans learn to read. It demonstrates that reading is not innate skills and identifies specific, explicit instructional practice that are most effective for teaching reading to all students.
There are five key components of effective reading instruction that are central to the Science of Reading.
Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individuals sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This is a purely auditory skill and is a prerequisite for learning to read.
Phonics: The understanding that there are predictable relationships between the sounds of spoken language (phonemes) and the letters and spellings (graphemes) that represent those sounds in written language. Instruction should be systematic and explicit.
Fluency: The ability to read text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression (prosody). Fluent readers can focus on comprehension because they do not have to labor over decoding individual words.
Vocabulary: The knowledge of word meanings. A robust vocabulary is crucial for comprehending texts. The Science of Reading emphasizes intentional, systematic vocabulary instruction.
Comprehension: The ability to understand derive meaning from a text. This depends on both decoding and language comprehension and involves higher-level thinking skills.
The science of reading is essential in early childhood education because it provides evidence-based methods for how children learn to read. It helps educators understand the essential components of literacy and how these skills develop together. By applying the science of reading, teachers can use effective instructional strategies that prevent reading difficulties, support all learners, and build a strong foundation for future academic success.
Wishing you all the best,
Amanda, Todd, and Jensen
