Best Practices for Teaching Reading

Effective reading instruction is grounded in research-based literacy principles. In 2000, the National Reading Panel (NRP) identified the Five Pillars of Literacy phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension as essential components for building strong, proficient readers. 1. Phonemic Awareness: Before children even connect letters to sounds, they must recognize that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes). Activities like blending and segmenting phonemes help students build this foundational skill. 2. Phonics: Once students grasp phonemic awareness, they learn how letters correspond to sounds. Systematic phonics instruction ensures they decode words accurately, fostering confidence in reading unfamiliar texts. 3. Fluency: Fluency bridges decoding and comprehension. When students read smoothly and with expression, they free up cognitive resources to focus on meaning rather than word recognition. 4. Vocabulary: A strong vocabulary helps students unlock meaning in texts. Explicit vocabulary instruction, coupled with exposure to diverse literature, enriches their ability to comprehend new words in context. 5. Comprehension: The ultimate goal of reading is understanding. Strategies like making inferences, summarizing, and asking questions equip students with tools to engage deeply with texts. By integrating these five components into classroom instruction through explicit teaching, scaffolded practice, and engaging literacy activities, educators ensure all learners regardless of background or learning differences develop strong reading skills that support academic success and lifelong learning.

10 Teacher Habits That Drive Student Development and Literacy Success Curriculum doesn’t raise readers. Habits do. It’s the daily, intentional moves teachers make—the way they teach, speak, listen, and think—that determine whether students develop or just drift. Literacy isn’t just about phonics and fluency. It’s about the habits that activate student minds and build cognitive power. Here are 10 habits that do just that: 1. Revisit, Don’t Just Review. Effective teachers spiral back—not because students forgot, but because the brain needs multiple, meaningful exposures to solidify learning. Repetition without connection is a loop. Repetition with purpose is learning. 2. Model Cognitive-Aligned Thinking. This is deeper than a scripted “think aloud.” Teachers stop mid-lesson to say: “Here’s what my brain is doing. I’m comparing. I’m identifying patterns. I’m holding two details in memory.” They connect the question to the cognitive function behind it, helping students develop awareness of how thinking actually works. 3. Notice the Quiet Struggles. Not all struggling readers act out. Some go silent. Some avoid eye contact. Master teachers spot the student who disengages during decoding or shrinks during discussion—and intervene early. Observation is a form of literacy intervention. 4. Engage Parents as Partners. These teachers don’t just call home when behavior breaks down. They call when progress appears. They send decodables, invite families to literacy nights, and explain strategies. They bring families into the process—not just the outcome. 5. Use Student Work as Compass. A worksheet can’t tell you what a running record can. These teachers use oral reading errors, written responses, and class talk as data—not judgment. They adjust instruction based on student performance—not pacing guides. 6. Believe Growth Is Always Possible. No labels. No limits. They say: “Your brain can change—and I’ll teach in a way that honors that truth.” This belief shows up in tone, pacing, grouping, and feedback. 7. Avoid the Quick Fix. They resist gimmicks. They don’t chase programs that promise overnight gains. Instead, they focus on depth, cognitive strength, and long-term growth. No shortcuts. Just strategy with soul. 8. Practice Inclusivity Daily. These teachers make identity and representation visible—not just during heritage months. They select books that reflect the children in front of them and lift student voices across subjects. Inclusion isn’t an event. It’s a habit. 9. Give Students Multiple Ways to Respond. Not all brilliance raises a hand. These teachers use journals, visuals, peer talk, tech tools, and sentence stems to unlock expression. Equity lives in how we ask for understanding. 10. Consider the Physical Layout. The room isn’t just space—it’s a signal. These teachers ask: Can my students move? Think together? Feel safe here? They create environments where the room whispers success before the lesson even starts.

Let’s talk Tier 1—because too often, structured literacy gets pushed to intervention or Tier 3. But here’s the truth: if you want real change, it starts in Tier 1. Every student—dyslexia or not—deserves daily access to decoding instruction rooted in the Science of Reading. In my 2nd grade classroom, I teach all 6 syllable types, and to help my students (and myself!) remember them, we use the word CLOVER: C – Closed L – Consonant + LE O – Open V – Vowel Team E – Silent E R – R-Controlled These types give kids the blueprint to break apart multisyllabic words and decode with confidence. We also explicitly teach syllable division using patterns like: • VC/CV (bas/ket) • V/CV (ti/ger) • VC/V (lem/on) I’ll be honest—I’m not a fan of “rabbit, tiger, camel” rules. We don’t need animal names to teach logic. Instead, we focus on finding the vowels, identifying the consonants in between, and choosing the right spot to divide. It’s simple. It makes sense. And most importantly—it works. Since teaching syllables this way, I’ve seen major gains. One of my students started the year reading 11 WPM at 32% accuracy. Now? He’s up to 45 WPM at 95% accuracy. That’s not just growth—that’s empowerment. He’s chunking words, spotting patterns, and starting to feel like a real reader. And if you’re looking for resources to support this kind of instruction, I cannot recommend Daydreaming About Data enough. Her syllable and backwards decoding resources on TPT have been absolute game changers in my room. No fluff. Just real, research-aligned practice that sticks. Structured literacy belongs in Tier 1. Syllables aren’t an intervention—they’re a foundation. #ScienceOfReading #Tier1Matters #StructuredLiteracy #CLOVER #DaydreamingAboutData #BackwardsDecoding #SyllablesNotGimmicks #DyslexiaSupport #MTSS #ReadingSuccess #2ndGradeTeacher