The Science of Reading

Learning to read is complex.

Learning to speak a first language is a natural process for children, but learning to read is not. Children vary in reading ability and in the skills they bring to the classroom, each requiring individualized and differentiated instruction to be successful. That’s why it's so critical teachers learn about the components of this complex process. The good news is we know more today about the essential elements of effective reading instruction than ever before—how children learn to read, the causes of reading difficulties, and how to prevent them. The science of reading incorporates decades of research into how students learn and how reading should be taught for a wide range of learners. Surprisingly, only 51% of pre-service teaching includes the science of reading. 

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What is the science of reading?

The term “science of reading” refers to a large body of gold-standard research collected by cognitive scientists and other reading experts throughout more than five decades. It tells us how we learn to read and the most effective way for reading to be taught. The science of reading provides the evidence of what works best in reading instruction, clarifies instruction for students who have difficulty learning to read, and the exact skills that should be taught and how the instruction should be delivered. Structured Literacy is the application of that evidence into practical classroom instruction and informs best practices about how to best deliver it. Born out of science, Structured Literacy is proven to develop deep levels of comprehension all learners need to become proficient and confident readers.

Empowered Educators

Teaching reading requires a deep understanding of the processes and science behind it. For teachers, however, taking in all of what the science of reading holds can be overwhelming. Lexia makes it easier for teachers and administrators to understand and apply the core principles of the science of reading to transform literacy instruction.

The LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) Suite is professional learning rooted in the science of reading that empowers teachers to deliver effective reading instruction to meet every student’s needs. It provides early childhood and elementary educators and administrators with deep knowledge to be literacy and language experts in the science of reading. With LETRS, teachers master the nuances of differentiated instruction, and develop the confidence they need to help all students accelerate their learning.

For educators of adolescent students, Lexia® Aspire™ Professional Learning is a flexible, self-paced, digital solution that uses the science of reading to help educators weave literacy skills and strategies into their instruction so they can support learners to read, comprehend, and articulate their ideas across various subjects. It gives classroom educators, content area educators, ELA educators, interventionists, dyslexia specialists, and speech pathologists just-in-time, application-based content and activities to meet specific student needs.

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Engaged Learners

Educational equity for all students cannot be achieved without a critical component, instructional equity. Lexia’s Structured Literacy solutions provide personalized instruction that ensures all students receive the support and resources they need to accelerate learning. All Lexia student programs deliver explicit, systematic, cumulative, diagnostic, and responsive instruction, principles that are proven to develop deep levels of comprehension all learners need to become proficient and confident readers. Lexia’s evidence-based instructional solutions have been proven effective at scale in diverse school settings and meet the rigorous eligibility and accountability standards for ESSA. Additionally, they can be purchased with ESSER funding.