If you’ve been hearing the phrase “Science of Reading” tossed around more often lately, you’re not alone.
But if you’re like most teachers and parents, you’ve probably wondered:
-
What exactly is the Science of Reading?
-
Is it just another trend?
-
And how is it different from how reading is taught now?
Let me cut through the noise.
The Science of Reading isn’t a fad.
It’s not a method.
It’s not a program.
It’s a massive body of research—thousands of studies across reading, psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience—that shows how the brain learns to read… and what we need to do to teach it.
In this post, I’ll break down exactly what the Science of Reading is, why it matters, and how to use it to transform your reading instruction—especially for struggling readers. I’ll also show you how we built our Orton-Gillingham curriculum around these principles—because when you follow the science, kids succeed.
What Is the Science of Reading?
The Science of Reading is not one person’s theory or a boxed curriculum—it’s a research consensus.
Across decades of studies, scientists have identified how children learn to read and what kind of instruction leads to the best outcomes.
Spoiler alert: it’s not guessing from context or memorizing 100 sight words a week.
The Science of Reading says reading is not a natural process. It’s a learned skill. And to master it, kids need explicit, systematic instruction in foundational reading skills—especially phonemic awareness and phonics.
Why the Science of Reading Matters (Now More Than Ever)
For years, most reading instruction in the U.S. has followed a “balanced literacy” approach. It encourages kids to use pictures, context clues, and memorization—rather than decoding—to figure out words.
This worked fine for some kids.
But for the 1 in 5 with dyslexia, and the many more with weaker phonemic awareness, it didn’t work at all.
That’s why national reading scores have flatlined. That’s why entire classrooms are full of kids who “read” fast but can’t understand what they just read.
The Science of Reading is our way forward—and it’s backed by real brain science, not trends.
The 5 Pillars of the Science of Reading
Let’s break down the five essential components the Science of Reading says must be taught—and taught well.
1. Phonemic Awareness
This is the ability to hear, isolate, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words. It’s purely auditory.
✅ Example:
Can your student hear that “cat” is made up of three sounds: /c/ /a/ /t/?
Can they say what word you get if you remove the /c/? (Answer: “at”)
Without this skill, phonics won’t stick.
2. Phonics
This is the process of connecting sounds (phonemes) to letters or letter combinations (graphemes).
✅ Students must learn:
-
That each sound has one or more spellings
-
How to decode (read) unfamiliar words using phonics rules
-
How to encode (spell) by applying those same rules
That’s why our Complete Orton-Gillingham Curriculum moves from short vowels to digraphs, blends, silent e, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and multisyllabic decoding—in a step-by-step sequence.
3. Fluency
Reading fluency is the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and expression.
It bridges decoding and comprehension.
✅ Fluent readers:
-
Don’t pause on every word
-
Use natural phrasing
-
Understand what they read as they read it
4. Vocabulary
Kids need to understand the meaning of the words they decode.
✅ You can build vocabulary through:
-
Conversations
-
Read-alouds
-
Picture supports
-
Real-world connections
This isn’t just about fancy words—it’s about understanding simple ones, too.
5. Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal—but it can’t happen if decoding isn’t automatic.
✅ Comprehension strategies include:
-
Summarizing
-
Predicting
-
Visualizing
-
Questioning
But again—those strategies only work when students can read the words on the page. That’s why we never teach comprehension in isolation.
What Makes Science of Reading-Aligned Instruction Different?
Here’s how Science of Reading-aligned instruction looks compared to traditional approaches:
| Traditional | Science of Reading |
|---|---|
| Picture clues | Sound-by-sound decoding |
| Leveled readers | Decodable texts aligned to skills |
| Sight word memorization | Phoneme-grapheme mapping |
| Teach whole word shape | Teach sound structure |
| Guessing encouraged | Guessing discouraged |
| Random word lists |
Cumulative review and skill sequencing |
Common Myths About the Science of Reading
Let’s clear up a few things:
-
“It’s only for students with dyslexia.”
No. It benefits all students—especially those struggling to learn to read. -
“It’s boring or rigid.”
Not true. When done well, it’s structured, yes—but also engaging, joyful, and full of success. -
“It ignores comprehension.”
False. It builds comprehension on a strong decoding foundation.
Final Thoughts: The Science of Reading Isn’t a Debate—It’s the Answer
The Science of Reading isn’t a trend. It’s not political. It’s not “just another method.”
It’s evidence.
It tells us how reading happens in the brain—and what we need to do to make sure every child learns to read, no matter what.
If your students are struggling, it’s not because they can’t read. It’s because they haven’t been taught using methods that align with how reading works.
👉 Try our Orton Gillingham based curriculum and see what happens when instruction finally matches the science.