The Science of Reading: Introduction
We’re hearing a lot these days about the science of reading. This isn’t the first time that questions have been raised about how research can be used to increase children’s reading proficiency.
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The Science of Reading, Part 1: Why Orthography Is So Critical
Part 1 answers the question: Why is the orthography of English so important in learning to read (and critical for teachers of reading to understand)?
The Science of Reading, Part 2: What We Know Works – Curriculum
Part 2 provides insights from the science of reading on important aspects of a curriculum in reading acquisition.
The Science of Reading, Part 3: What We Know Works – Instruction
Part 3 discusses how reading acquisition can be supported and what instructional activities can be delivered to a beginning reading class.
The Science of Reading, Part 4: Instruction That Does NOT Support Independent Word Recognition
Part 4 is a review of the research on practices that we know do not promote reading acquisition.
What is the Best Way to Teach Vocabulary?
With over 600,000 words in written English, which ones should English Language Arts teachers teach, and how?
Teaching Networks of Words
Students have trouble learning and retaining lists of unconnected words. Teaching words in networks helps students form connections among the words, bolstering their understanding.
Getting Back to the Page & Staying There
Reading is all about knowledge; it’s not just for practice.
Kristin Conradi Smith
Kristin Conradi Smith is an Associate Professor of Reading Education at the College of William and Mary’s School of Education. Her research falls into three strands: (1) better understanding children who struggle with reading; (2) the role of texts in the classroom; and (3) issues related to reading motivation. She has published more than twenty articles and book chapters in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, Educational Psychology Review, the Reading Teacher, and Reading and Writing Quarterly.
Prior to earning her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 2011, she was an elementary school teacher and coach in Camden, New Jersey and Richmond, Virginia.
Bad with Names: Why Proper Names Deserve Instructional Attention
Rare words typically make up only 5% or less of the total words in texts, but it’s often these words that get students anxious about reading.