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What feels like a realistic next step for your team:

in the next few weeks?

consider ways to model writing about reading during read alouds/shared reading

consider other possibilities for centers linked to student needs (prioritize what students need most)

review book options during independent reading time

by the end of the school year?

find content related texts (fiction and nonfiction) to build text sets linked to science/social studies

look at scheduling- consider options for use of minutes

for next semester?

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From 2004 to 2010, a team of researchers and teachers at FCRR collected ideas and created Student Center Activities for use in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. The activities are designed for students to practice, demonstrate, and extend their learning of what has already been taught, sometimes with teacher assistance and sometimes independently. Students can complete the activities in small groups, pairs, or individually.

Accompanying these Student Center Activities is a Teacher Resource Guide that offers important insights on differentiated instruction and how to use the Student Center materials.

Component

Name of the reading component: Phonological Awareness (PA), Phonics (P), Fluency (F), Vocabulary (V), or Comprehension (C). Each component is color coded: PA is purple, P is orange, F is red, V is green, C is blue.

Subcomponent

Name of the reading subcomponent, which is a subskill of the component.

Activity Name

Activity Number

The letters correspond with the reading component (PA, P, F, V, or C). The numbers are listed in ascending order within each component. The activities are sequenced from simple to more complex within each component and subcomponent.

Student Icon

The suggested number of students for the activity. One student icon indicates that students may work independently or with a small group. Two student icons indicate that the activity requires students to work in pairs. Two student icons with a plus sign indicate that the activity requires two or more students.

Objective

States the goal of the activity, which is aligned with the subcomponent.

Materials

Materials are located on the pages that follow the Activity Plan. Most materials are non-consumable to be prepared and used repeatedly (e.g., word cards can be laminated). Some materials are consumable and will need to be duplicated for each student doing the activity. Other materials, such as counters, are commonly found in most classrooms.

Activity Statement

One sentence explanation of the purpose of the activity and what students do to complete the activity.

Activity Steps

The first step describes how to setup the center. The second step begins with: The student, Students, Working in pairs, or Taking turns depending on the number of students needed to complete the activity. The second step also starts the series of steps to complete the activity. The next steps explain what the student does to complete the activity. The last step lists one of three accountability methods: Self-check, Peer evaluation, or Teacher evaluation.

Example

A visual of the activity and key materials.

Extensions and Adaptations

Suggestions that extend or provide an adaptation for additional practice on the skill addressed in the activity. Materials for the extensions and adaptations are included after the pages that align to the Activity Plan.

Users may use the FCRR Student Center Activities resources as long as modifications are not made, the resources will only be used for non-profit educational purposes, and the copyright belong jointly to the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Reading Research. These resources may not be used for any commercial purposes. These resources on our site may be linked to but not reposted, reproduced, modified, or copied to other sites. For questions about the use of these resources, please contact The Florida Center for Reading Research at fcrr@fcrr.org.

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From 2004 to 2010, a team of researchers and teachers at FCRR collected ideas and created Student Center Activities for use in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. The activities are designed for students to practice, demonstrate, and extend their learning of what has already been taught, sometimes with teacher assistance and sometimes independently.

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Concordia IS Hanoi KG Reading Session (April 2024)

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Concordia IS Hanoi KG Reading Session (April 2024) (3)

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Concordia IS Hanoi KG Reading Session (April 2024) (2)

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Concordia IS Hanoi- UFLI in KG-G2 (Online March 2024)

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Name (optional):

Grade Level:

Questions:

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Name (optional):

Grade Level:

Questions:

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UFLI Foundations: How to Implement Day 1 Lessons

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UFLI Foundations: How to Implement Day 2 Lessons

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UFLI Foundations: Progress Monitoring and Differentiation

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TA Session: What Matters Most for Readers?

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TA Session: What Matters Most for Readers?

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Concordia IS- Hanoi TA Session What Matters Most for Readers (Onsite January 2024)

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Sample CORE Phonics Recording Sheet: Grade 1 Student

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Sample CORE Phonics Recording Sheet: Grade 1 Student

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(VIDEO) Sample CORE Phonics Survey with G1 Student 

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(VIDEO) Sample CORE Phonics Survey with G1 Student 

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Administering CORE Phonics- Grade 1 Concordia IS Hanoi.MOV

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presentation clicker with laser pointer is helpful

additional decodable books (UFLI comes with 1 per lesson, but in case you want more variety) Here is a list of high quality decodable texts from The Reading League

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Work Work (step 6):

Once students are in G1 and G2, they'll need the advanced letter patterns (beyond just A-Z), so some options for that might be:

using the intermediate digital word work mats from UFLI on iPads

printing and organizing the word work mats from the UFLI website

using magnetic folders and ready made magnetic letter tiles,

or using whiteboards (not recommended from UFLI as the best option, but works if you can't source anything else).

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For word work (step 6):

magnetic letter sets (similar to this one)- any will do!

Magnetic trays (like a cookie sheet) to store letters. Just make sure they are at least A4 size so you can fit all the letters.

Alternatively, you could print and organize the word work mats from the UFLI website, or use the beginner UFLI digital word work mats on iPads.

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Developing Word Power: How to Teach Morphology (Blog Post)

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Developing Word Power: How to Teach Morphology (Blog Post)

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In this post, we offer a simple Morphology Lesson Planning Template that provides a systematic approach to integrating morphology instruction into your classroom.

When you consider vocabulary instruction, probably the first thing that comes to mind is teaching specific words - ideally, lots of high-utility academic words. However, dedicated time for explicit morphology instruction is an often overlooked superhero of a well-rounded approach to teaching vocabulary.

Let's Start with a Morphology Definition

So, what is the definition of morphology, anyway?

In a nutshell, morphology is the study of the smallest meaningful parts-morphemes-of words.

And the way these parts (morphemes) come together to create words that connect to each other (word networks) and will show up throughout written English is also a part of studying morphemes or morphology.
morphology morph - ology
Right away, you likely notice the familiar suffix (word ending) -ology, which means the study of something . But, the study of what?

Well, to figure that out, we consider the base of the word morph - (from Greek), which refers to the form or structure of something. In this case, we form or structure of . . . words.
Morph- (form or structure) + -ology (study of) = the study of form and structure of words
So, morphology is the study of the form or structure of words. Of course, studying morphology means looking at word parts-affixes, roots, bases-that show up across the English language. This means that studying morphology also makes it easier to see the relationships between words.

So, What Does Morphology Instruction Look Like?

When we provide morphology instruction, we engage students in an exploration of the meaningful parts of words in ways that can later be leveraged to unlock the meaning of the unfamiliar words they encounter. Understanding the pieces of words that make up the morphological catalog of the English language also sets students up to build words and better communicate their ideas.

In our recent book (co-authored with Katie Egan Cunningham), we describe morphology instruction as helping students become "word detectives" by teaching them how to look INSIDE words for clues to their meanings.

For instance, if students learn that the suffix -ology means the study of something , they'll be able to use that clue to help them infer the meaning of lots of other words. For example,

musicology

mythology

oceanology

toxicology

biology

zoology

criminology

That's the power of morph-ology. But, studying morphology is more than just memorizing some word parts and their meanings. Learning the meanings of the morphological building blocks of language-and how they come together and pull apart to change the meanings of words-strengthens our skills for

1. Figuring out. Using morphology to figure out unfamiliar words increases a reader's ability to teach themselves new words in context. This is important because there are far too many words for students to learn than we can explicitly teach! Not to mention that vocabulary knowledge (or the lack thereof) is a major impediment to comprehension.

2. Connecting to word networks. Being able to connect words to larger word networks is important because understanding the relationships between words not only helps us remember the new word but also helps us use words more precisely when we speak or write. And when we read, the stronger our word connections and the larger the network is between related words-such as discouraged and discontent -the more we understand the nuances of what we read.

As you can see, morphology can play an important role in deepening students' understanding of language while empowering them to make informed inferences about the meanings of unknown words.

The Basics of Morphology: A Few Definitions

As you know, morphemes are the smallest meaningful chunks of language, but morphemes do come in a few different forms. Here are a few.

Bases - These are words that can always stand on their own, so they are called free morphemes . They don't need to be combined with any other chunks to form a word. But, they can be added onto with prefixes and suffixes: heat, re+ heat, re+ heat+ ing to form new words.

Greek and Latin Roots - Different from simple base words that can always stand on their own, Greek and Latin roots are word parts that have consistent meaning across words but are usually not able to stand on their own.

Free Morpheme Root - Act (to do something) because it can stand alone.

Bound Morpheme Root - Aud - (having to do with sound) because it cannot stand alone.

Affixes - These are word parts that are attached (or affixed) to roots or bases to change the meaning of a word. Affixes are bound morphemes. They need to be connected to other word parts to be meaningful. Affixes come in two forms:

Prefixes - Just as the name suggests (pre- means before) are parts of words that are attached (or affixed) to the beginning of the word.

Suffixes - The word suffix is derived from Latin words meaning subordinate and fasten. Suffixes are fastened to the end of the word.

These examples are pretty easy because the roots are all morphemes that can stand on their own (music, myth, ocean, toxic). These are called free morphemes.

Geo - refers to earth, ground, or land

Bio - refers to life

Acheo - means ancient

So in the word replanted , the prefix re- means again, the root plant means well plant, and the suffix -ed means that the replanting happened in the past.

Teaching Morphology: The WHAT and the HOW

If you're curious about how to infuse morphology lessons into your teaching toolkit, you're certainly not alone. Leveraging the meaningful parts of words to understand new words is top of mind for a lot of literacy educators these days.

In Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom (both the book and the online class), Shift 3 is all about effective vocabulary instruction. In that Shift, we spend a lot of time on morphology as one of the ways students can learn to make informed inferences about the meanings of the unfamiliar words they encounter in their independent reading. So, we will offer some general guidance here.

The WHAT of Morphology Instruction - Considering Morpheme Frequency: A Multi-Year Morphology Plan

Probably the most frequent question we get from teachers about morphology instruction is, "Which morphemes should I teach and in what order?"

Of course, there are endless possibilities for answering this question, and it's important to note that there definitely isn't a "right" or "wrong" answer. So, don't let worrying over choosing the perfect set of morphemes keep you from digging into morphology instruction.

On the other hand, if you'd like to see one suggested path for morphology instruction across the grades, we have put together a sample morphology plan-a scope and sequence for morphology instruction across grades-that does just that. You can download our Multi-Year Morphology Plan here .

This plan was designed by analyzing several lists of common, high-leverage morphemes and thoughtfully considering how they might be placed across the grades. For each morpheme, we offer example words that range from simpler to more complex.

This plan does not include every morpheme, and in fact, it includes just 20 per grade. But equipped with these dozens of morphemes, children will be able to unlock the meanings of countless words.

We have organized the morphology plan into four sets of words:

Set 1: Grades 3 and Below

Set 2: Grades 3-4

Set 3: Grades 4-5+

Set 4: Other Useful Morphemes

These lists - paired with our Planning Template for Explicit Morphology Instruction - are designed to give you a simple starting place for teaching morphology. Of course, there are many other ways that morpheme instruction might be divided across the grades - this is not THE plan; this is just A plan. But we can start here as we think about the word prediction. If we think about the three morphemes in prediction ( pre-, dict-, -tion ), the prefix pre- is on the third row of this plan, which means that it is one of the most commonly occurring prefixes and a viable candidate for a morphology lesson.

Pretty simple, huh? Unless you have other reasons for teaching certain morphemes, such as introducing certain words in a content area-such as bio- in biology, biologist, biohazard, biosphere -choosing morphemes for explicit morphology instruction is usually a matter of considering the highest-frequency (most useful) morphemes. But, whether you use the morpheme lists in our Multi-Year Morphology Plan or another list, once you know WHAT morpheme you want to teach-in this case, pre- - you can turn your attention to the HOW.

The How of Morphology Instruction - 5 Simple Steps for Teaching Morphology to Improve Literacy: A Morphology Lesson Template

Here's the good news - morphology instruction doesn't need to be fancy, time-consuming, or laborious. Following this simple, 5-step procedure, you'll be able to keep morphology instruction simple, predictable, and engaging without having to buy anything or rob a huge chunk of instructional time from somewhere else in your schedule.

You can find this Lesson Plan for Explicit Morphology Instruction for free. This tool provides a step-by-step approach to help students explore words from the inside out, using morphemes to uncover the clues to meaning hidden within a word.

1. It shows up a lot in English. In fact, it is among the ten most frequently occurring prefixes in English,

2. It is relatively easy to teach because it can be added to so many bases familiar to children to form new words with new meanings due to the addition of the prefix.

So, here is the five-step process from our lesson plan, using the prefix pre- as the example morpheme to illustrate the steps.

Step 1: Identify the morpheme, its meaning, and where it shows up in words.

Sample Language: Today, we are going to experiment with the prefix -pre, which means "before." Let's see how pre- changes the meanings of base words.

Step 2: Provide examples of words with pre-. Think aloud as you use the words parts to define it.

Step 3: Offer some non-examples of the pre- in words where it doesn't mean before.
preacher, preen, pretzel, pretty

Step 4: Let students work in pairs or small groups to apply the new prefix to a list of bases to figure out their meanings. They can even use the new word in a sentence.
set, fix, cut, test, form, heat, term, date, caution, pay, pack, exist, judge, view

Step 5: Ask students to fill in cloze sentences that have blanks for words from Step 2.
To make sure the movie would be okay for her little sister to watch, she decided to ________ it. He wore safety gloves as a _______ when he worked with the lathe. The recipe for the cake said to _________ the oven to 350 degrees.
Explicit Morphology Instruction vs. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

You may be wondering, "So, what's the difference between morphology instruction and other explicit vocabulary instruction?

Great question! It is easy to get confused. While they are both important components of a multi-dimensional plan for teaching vocabulary, your explicit vocabulary instruction is different from your explicit morphology instruction.

Explicit vocabulary instruction focuses on a specific word ( i.e., prediction ) and includes kid-friendly definitions, taking a close look at the orthography and phonology of the word, using the word in context, and comparing the word to other words (synonyms, antonyms, etc.). Explicit vocabulary instruction may also include exploring the morphology of the specific word ( pre-, dict-, -tion ), as well as other forms of the word when different morphemes are attached ( predicted, predicting, predictions, etc .).

Explicit morphology lessons, on the other hand, differ from explicit word-focused vocabulary instruction because, rather than focusing on a specific word ( prediction ), they focus on a specific morpheme, such as the prefix pre- . Morphology lessons help students to understand the meaning and function that a particular morpheme plays when combined with other word parts so that they can use that understanding to figure out word meanings and better comprehend.

If you visit our downloads page, you might notice we offer lesson planning templates for both types of explicit instruction for developing students' word power.

A Word of Caution About Morphology Instruction

Children will find this work empowering, especially as they discover opportunities to apply their knowledge of morphemes to unfamiliar words they encounter in the context of what they read. And it can be really exciting to see the power of this brain-friendly instruction as you see students apply what you have taught successfully.

However, it is also possible to get carried away. In fact, we have growing concerns about all kinds of "overdoing" going on in the field of literacy when it comes to centering explicit skills instruction these days.

So, to help you strike the right balance between "underdoing" and "overdoing," here are three things to keep in mind:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Explicit morphology lessons shouldn't drag on. Offer a little explanation, a little practice with the morpheme, and then a little bit of application in context. That's enough.

2. Keep it engaging. There are a lot of morphology worksheets and workbooks out there, but filling students' time with less-than-engaging morphology practice is not the point. Equipping students with more word power tools is. So, use morphemes to play with, explore, and increase awareness of words.

3. Keep it meaningful. The point of morphology instruction, of course, is to help students better understand words they encounter in reading and conversation. So, please don't eliminate interactions with books to have more time to teach morphology! Rather, encourage students to notice the morphemes they've learned as they show up in the books they are reading and then to practice trying to use their morphological knowledge to comprehend.

Now you know a lot more than just the definition of morphology! By using these ideas to embrace or refresh your morphology instruction, you'll take your students on a journey that will elevate their word power on the way to deeper comprehension.

The Lesson Planning Template we've shared in this blog post, in combination with the Multi-Year Morphology Plan, will help you make learning to read easier for your students. As a part of a plan multi-layered instructional model for teaching vocabulary-including both explicit and implicit approaches-morphology instruction promises to help students explore (and understand) the building blocks of meaningful language from the inside out.

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Developing Word Power: How to Teach Morphology - The Six Shifts

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Jan and Kari Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, accomplished authors, speakers, and consultants, bring a wealth of experience to the field of early childhood education. With deep roots in the teaching profession, they share a profound commitment to supporting both students and teachers in the foundational stages of reading and writing development.

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TA Session: What Matters Most for Readers?

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TA Session: What Matters Most for Readers?

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Concordia IS- Hanoi TA Session What Matters Most for Readers (Onsite January 2024)

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UFLI Foundations: How to Implement Day 2 Lessons

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UFLI Foundations: How to Implement Day 1 Lessons

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Concordia IS Hanoi Debrief and Planning Forward 

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To the Classroom (Jennifer Serravallo) *** Excellent guests and follow up practical conversations about taking it back "to the classroom"

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy (Many options but Episode 157 with Nancy Hennessy will directly connect to comprehension work)

Science of Reading: The Podcast (published by Amplify)

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TA Session: Reading Conferring "Cheat Sheet"

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TA Session: Reading Conferring "Cheat Sheet"

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Full descriptions

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Grade 2 Labsite (i_e)- Concordia IS Hanoi.pptx

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1-Prealphabetic (sounds)
2-Partial Alphabetic (short vowels, CVC)
3-Full Alphabetic (long vowels)
4-Consolidated Alphabetic (multisyllabic)

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Concordia IS- Hanoi KG-G2 Sunflower Time (Onsite January 2024)

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Concordia IS Hanoi Phonics Planning Template

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Cortex in the Classroom: Advancing the Science of Reading in the Early Years

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Cortex in the Classroom: Advancing the Science of Reading in the Early Years

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Advancing Science of Reading in the Early Years - K–5 Literacy Program & Curriculum | Amplify CKLA

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Rethinking Instruction in Phonological Awareness: Focus on What Matters!

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The importance of phoneme awareness for acquiring the alphabetic principle and for learning to read has been documented since the 1970s, gaining broad recognition when the National Reading Panel Report was published in 2000. Since then, instruction to foster phonological awareness has become routinely recommended for the early grades.

However, the widespread practice in schools is to target awareness of larger phonological structures such as words, syllables, and onset-rimes before focusing on phonemes, with attention to the phoneme not occurring until well into kindergarten or first grade.

During this hour-long webinar, Dr. Susan Brady will examine studies that raise questions regarding whether following this "continuum" is necessary and/or beneficial for students. She also discusses:
- The developmental sequence of phoneme awareness
- The importance of conducting phoneme awareness activities with letter knowledge and handwriting
- The benefits of this approach for all students

Watch this webinar to deepen your understanding of how and when to teach phonemic awareness to set students up for reading success.

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From 2004 to 2010, a team of researchers and teachers at FCRR collected ideas and created Student Center Activities for use in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. The activities are designed for students to practice, demonstrate, and extend their learning of what has already been taught, sometimes with teacher assistance and sometimes independently. Students can complete the activities in small groups, pairs, or individually.

Accompanying these Student Center Activities is a Teacher Resource Guide that offers important insights on differentiated instruction and how to use the Student Center materials.

Component

Name of the reading component: Phonological Awareness (PA), Phonics (P), Fluency (F), Vocabulary (V), or Comprehension (C). Each component is color coded: PA is purple, P is orange, F is red, V is green, C is blue.

Subcomponent

Name of the reading subcomponent, which is a subskill of the component.

Activity Name

Activity Number

The letters correspond with the reading component (PA, P, F, V, or C). The numbers are listed in ascending order within each component. The activities are sequenced from simple to more complex within each component and subcomponent.

Student Icon

The suggested number of students for the activity. One student icon indicates that students may work independently or with a small group. Two student icons indicate that the activity requires students to work in pairs. Two student icons with a plus sign indicate that the activity requires two or more students.

Objective

States the goal of the activity, which is aligned with the subcomponent.

Materials

Materials are located on the pages that follow the Activity Plan. Most materials are non-consumable to be prepared and used repeatedly (e.g., word cards can be laminated). Some materials are consumable and will need to be duplicated for each student doing the activity. Other materials, such as counters, are commonly found in most classrooms.

Activity Statement

One sentence explanation of the purpose of the activity and what students do to complete the activity.

Activity Steps

The first step describes how to setup the center. The second step begins with: The student, Students, Working in pairs, or Taking turns depending on the number of students needed to complete the activity. The second step also starts the series of steps to complete the activity. The next steps explain what the student does to complete the activity. The last step lists one of three accountability methods: Self-check, Peer evaluation, or Teacher evaluation.

Example

A visual of the activity and key materials.

Extensions and Adaptations

Suggestions that extend or provide an adaptation for additional practice on the skill addressed in the activity. Materials for the extensions and adaptations are included after the pages that align to the Activity Plan.

Users may use the FCRR Student Center Activities resources as long as modifications are not made, the resources will only be used for non-profit educational purposes, and the copyright belong jointly to the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Reading Research. These resources may not be used for any commercial purposes. These resources on our site may be linked to but not reposted, reproduced, modified, or copied to other sites. For questions about the use of these resources, please contact The Florida Center for Reading Research at fcrr@fcrr.org.

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From 2004 to 2010, a team of researchers and teachers at FCRR collected ideas and created Student Center Activities for use in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. The activities are designed for students to practice, demonstrate, and extend their learning of what has already been taught, sometimes with teacher assistance and sometimes independently.

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Discover the pattern behind English words with simple spelling rules and basic phonograms

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What are the syllable types, and should you teach them? Learn the arguments for and against teaching syllable types.

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(5 min)

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UFLI
CKLA
LETRS
The Measured Mom

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Wiley Blevins: Phonics Survival Guide for Grades 3-5

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Wiley Blevins: Phonics Survival Guide for Grades 3-5

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Wiley Blevins Grades 3_5 Phonics Survival Guide

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Morpheme Magic

Word Connections

Spellography

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UFLI

UFLI Website Resources (blending app, home learning, slide decks)

Progress Monitoring Tool

UFLI Facebook Group

CKLA

Fundations

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We provide free reports that help you evaluate instructional materials because high-quality content matters to teachers, to kids, and to our collective future.

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We provide free reports that help you evaluate instructional materials because high-quality content matters to teachers, to kids, and to our collective future. Select a subject to browse reports Student Learning Rigorous college and career-ready standards can improve and deepen student learning. What is taught matters.

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Use the Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines to evaluate how well a curriculum aligns with the findings from the science of reading.

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AI Customizable Decodable Text Generator

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Decodable Story · UFLI Objective 84: ai, ay /ā/

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It was a gray, rainy day. Riley and Jay were wishing for a break in the rain so they could go outside and play. They wanted to explore the...

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Literacy Consultants & Consulting Services | Erin Kent Consulting

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A few special gifts for signing up now: a strategy call with Erin Kent or an EKC Senior Strategist to get started using the EKC Community to support your current literacy initiatives; and 5 free spots in our live, virtual winter courses ($1495 value!)

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Douglas Fisher (Author), Nancy Frey (Author), Diane K. Lapp (Author) & 0 more

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Teaching Reading [Higher-Ed Version]: A Playbook for Developing Skilled Readers Through Word Recognition and Language Comprehension

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Teaching Reading [Higher-Ed Version]: A Playbook for Developing Skilled Readers Through Word Recognition and Language Comprehension : Fisher, Douglas, Frey, Nancy, Lapp, Diane K.: Amazon.sg: Books

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"In Shifting the Balance, 3-5, Cunningham, Burkins, and Yates go beyond the science of reading being only phonics. Taking a deeper dive into vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and word identification for upper elementary students, this book helps teachers understand what is needed in their instruction through easy-to-read case scenarios. Thanks to these authors for once again bridging hearts and minds."

Donna Hejtmanek Retired Educator and Creator of the Science of Reading-What I Should Have Learned in College Facebook Group

" Shifting the Balance, 3-5 brings the Science of Reading from theory to direct application. This new take on literacy instruction brings forth the hope of long-lasting knowledge and continued growth for students. It is not only a thorough approach but is realistic and best of all, attainable!"

Clorasteen Wilson, Structured Literacy Instructor, Associate/OGA

"Teaching reading can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Our classrooms are filled with diverse groups of learners that present all different levels of instructional need. Shifting the Balance, 3-5 gives teachers tools they need to incorporate reading instruction that is purposeful and student-centered. With data driven techniques and lessons, this book will set up any upper elementary school classroom with success."

Michaela Durr, New York City Teacher

"While many of the big conversations about the Science of Reading (SOR) research have focused on the foundational skills in primary grades, upper elementary teachers no longer need to feel left in the dark. With this gem, Cunningham, Burkins, and Yates skillfully supply six scientifically-sound shifts-answering the big questions & providing high-leverage instructional routines, while weaving in all five pillars of reading. No matter where you are on your SOR journey, this sensational book is a must-read for all!"

Michelle Sullivan of The Colorful Classroom & Elementary Literacy Coach

"Cunningham, Burkins, and Yates clarify misunderstandings, summarize the research in an accessible way, and provide suggestions for what they call high-leverage routines to help teachers enhance their instruction and support students' growth as readers. Thoughtful, well-researched, and teacher-friendly, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to explore how to implement effective literacy instruction for readers beyond grade two."

Lisa Maucione, Reading Specialist, Dartmouth Public Schools, MA

"As the field of reading instruction continues to reinvent itself, so many of us elementary educators find ourselves in need of a road map. The authors of this second volume of Shifting the Balance step in, validate our good intentions, and offer to guide us as we reflect on, reconsider, refine and reimagine our practice. I look forward to referencing the ideas and resources in this edition (and online) as I continue striving to equip my students for meaningful reading experiences, now and in the future."

Katie McAlister, First Grade Classroom Teacher

"With all the noise in the world about reading instruction, Cunningham, Burkins, and Yates discuss a practical, research-driven, and student-based way to shift our reading instruction into balance and clarity. They've done the hard thinking in order to zoom in on what is necessary to teach intermediate readers to succeed."

Jeff Anderson, Lead author of the Patterns of Power series (PreK-12)

"The science of reading isn't just for the primary grades! In their clear and readable style, Cunningham, Burkins, and Yates examine the research and show teachers of grades 3-5 exactly how to apply it. With zero judgment and endless encouragement, the authors will inspire teachers to rethink current practices and make research-based decisions to help every student."

Anna Geiger, M.Ed., Host of the Triple R Teaching podcast and creator of The Measured Mom website

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Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom

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In this much anticipated follow-up to their groundbreaking book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, authors Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, together with co-author Katie Cunningham, extend the conversation in Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom.

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HFW that make up 50% of words in children's texts

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HFW that make up 50% of words in children's texts

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Many children with literacy difficulties find it hard to blend phonemes together. Word Chains games allow a child to focus on sounds without the distraction of graphemes, as each sound is represented by a counter. A single phoneme is changed and the child 're-blends' to make a new word. The Word Chain lists progress from simple CVC words, like 'dog' and 'cat', to more complex words with initial and final blends, like 'stand' and 'crisp'. This allows targeted practice of a very specific skill in just a few minutes.

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Blending Phonemes - Word Chains - Dyslexic Logic

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Resources and word-chains (also called word ladders or word chains) to support teaching blending skills for children with poor phonological awareness, from basic CVC blends to CCVCC words with long and short medial vowels.

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Recently, I wrote about the science of reading. I explained how I thought the term should be defined and described the kind of research needed to prescribe instruction.

Today I thought I'd put some meat on the bone; adding some details that might help readers to grasp the implications of a scientific or research-based approach to reading.
What does it mean when someone says an approach to reading instruction "works"?
The term "it works" has gnawed at me for more than fifty years! I remember as a teacher how certain activities or approaches grabbed me. They just seemed right. Then I'd try them out in my classroom and judge some to work, and others not so much.

But why?

What was it that led me to believe some of them "worked" and some didn't?

It puzzled me even then.

Teachers, administrators, and researchers seem to have different notions of "what works."

Teachers, I think, depend heavily on student response. If an activity engages the kids, we see it as hopeful. We give credence to whether an activity elicits groans or a buzz of activity.

When I do a classroom demonstration and students say they liked the activity and want to do more, most likely I've won that teacher over.

Teachers recognize that learning requires engagement, so when an activity pulls kids in, they're convinced that it's a good idea.

That satisfaction is sometimes denigrated because of its potential vapidity. Let's face it. Bozo the Clown engages kids, too, but with how much learning?

What those complaints fail to recognize is that the teacher already has bought into the the pedagogical value of the activity. They assume it is effective. Student engagement is like gaining a third Michelin star.

What about administrators?

Their needs are different. To them, "it works," is more about adult acceptance. If a program is adopted, the materials shipments arrive as promised, and neither teachers nor parents complain, it works!

And, to researchers?

To them, it means there has been an experimental study that compared that approach with some other and found it to be superior in terms of fostering learning.

If a method does no better than "business as usual" classroom practice, then it doesn't work (which, confusingly, isn't entirely correct, since the difference isn't that everybody in one group learned and nobody in the other did).

I've worn all those hats - teacher, administrator, researcher - and I prefer the last one. The reason? Because it's the only one that explicitly bases the judgment on student learning.
RELATED: What's the Role of Amount of Reading Instruction? Will we accomplish higher achievement if we follow research and make our teaching consistent with the science?
That's the basic idea, but even that doesn't appear to be well understood.

I think we tend to get misled by medical science, particularly pharmacology.

New drugs are studied so thoroughly it's possible for scientists to say that a particular nostrum will provide benefit 94% of the time and that 28% of patients will probably suffer some unfortunate side effect.

When I tell you that the research shows that a particular kind of instruction works (i.e., it led to more learning), I can't tell you how likely it is that you will be able to make it work, too.

Our education studies reveal whether someone has managed to make an approach successful.

Our evidence indicates possibility, not certainty.

When we encourage you to teach like it was done in the studies, we are saying, "if they made it work, you may be able to make it work, too."

That's why I'm such a fan of multiple studies.

The more times other people have made an approach work under varied circumstances, the more likely you'll be able to find a way to make it work as well.

If you show me one such study, it seems possible I could match their success. Show me 38, and it seems even more likely that I could pull it off.

That nuance highlights an important point: Our instructional methods don't have automatic effects. We, as teachers, make these methods work.

Lackadaisical implementation of instruction is never likely to have good results. The teacher who thinks passive implementation of a science-based program is what works is in for a sad awakening.

I assure you that in the studies, everyone worked hard to make sure there were learning payoffs for the kids. That's part of what made it work better than the business-as-usual approach.

That point is too often muffled by our rhetoric around science-based reading. But teacher buy-in, teacher effort, and teacher desire to see a program work for the kids are all ingredients in success.
I don't get it, I'm hearing that some approach (e.g., 3-cueing) is harmful, and, yet I know of research-based programs that teach it. Does that make any sense?
You're right about 3-cueing being part of some successful programs. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea. Instructional programs usually include multiple components. Studies of them tell if the program has been effective, but they usually say little about the various components that are integral to the program.

Without a direct test of the individual components, there are three possibilities: (1) a component may be an active ingredient, one of the reasons for the success; or (2) it's a neutral ingredient -- drop it and kids would do as well; or (3) it's hurtful, the instruction would be even more effective without it.

Logically, 3-cueing makes no sense. It emphasizes behaviors good readers eschew.

That said, I know of no research that has evaluated 3-cueing specifically.

Claims that it's harmful (beyond being a likely time waster) are, for the time being, overstatements. These claims rely on logic, not data.

The problem that you identify is a common one - people will tell you that multisensory instruction, a sole focus on decodable texts, advanced phonemic awareness, more social studies lessons, word walls, sound walls, and so on are all certain roads to improved achievement. Each is part of at least one successful program or another. But none have been evaluated directly. The truth is, we really don't know if they have any value at all.

They might provide benefits, but that isn't the same thing as knowing that they have done so before.
Our district has adopted new programs and instructional routines based on science. But our kids aren't doing any better than before. Does that make any sense?
No, that makes no sense at all. The purpose of any kind of educational reform - including science-based reform - is to increase learning. The whole point is higher average reading scores or a reduction in the numbers of struggling students.

Whoever's in charge should take this lack of success seriously and should be asking - and finding answers - to the following questions?

Were these changes really based on the science and what does that mean?

Administrators often make choices based on minimal information. It is better to vet these things before adopting them, but in a case like this one, it is never too late to find out if the reform scheme was really consistent with the science.

How has the amount of reading instruction to students changed?

Some approaches work better than others because they have a bigger footprint. They provide a greater amount of teaching than business-as-usual approaches. Adopting such programs without making the schedule changes to facilitate their implantation will likely undermine potential success. Are kids getting more instruction, less instruction, or about the same as before?

How is the amount of reading instruction apportioned among phonemic awareness, phonics, text reading fluency, reading comprehension strategies, written language ability, and writing?

Often the adoption of new programs or reform efforts aimed at a particular piece of the puzzle lead to greater attention to certain abilities, but to diminished attention to other key parts of literacy. Make sure that you aren't trading more phonics for less fluency work, or more vocabulary for less comprehension. You want to make sure that all components of reading are receiving adequate attention - not going overboard with some and neglecting others.

To what extent are teachers using the programs?

Compliance matters in program implementation. The adage that "teachers can do whatever they want when the door is closed" highlights one of the biggest roadblocks to making such efforts work. You need to make sure you have sufficient buy in for the men and women who do the daily teaching. You bought a new program or set new instructional policies. Are they being used or followed?

How well prepared are the teachers to provide the required instruction?

Program adoption requires a lot more than issuing a policy proclamation. Research shows that program implementation supported by substantial professional development is much more successful than just buying a program. You need to make sure that you've built the capacity for success and not just expected magic to happen.
READ MORE: Shanahan On Literacy Blog References
National Research Council. (2002). Scientific research in education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Shanahan, T. (2020). What constitutes a science of reading instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S235-S247.

Stanovich, P. J. , & Stanovich, K. E. (2003). Using research and reason in education. Washington, DC: National Institute of Literacy.

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Myths of the Science of Reading Era | Shanahan on Literacy

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This Shanahan blog explores what it means when we say a method, approach, or program “works” in scientific terms. Read more here about Myths of the Science of Reading Era!

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About the 2022 Symposium

The 2022 PaTTAN Literacy Symposium will provide educators in all capacities with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills pertaining to evidence-based practices in reading instruction in grades K-12.

Target Audience

Elementary Educators, Secondary Educators, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Practitioners, School Leaders/Administrators, Reading Specialists, Teachers of English Language Learners, Literacy Coaches, Instructional Support Team Members, School Psychologists, Pre-Service Teachers, Higher Education Instructors, Paraprofessionals, and Families.

View the PaTTAN Literacy Symposium '22 schedule & directory.

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The 2022 PaTTAN Literacy Symposium will provide educators in all capacities with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills pertaining to evidence-based practices in reading instruction in grades K-12. Target Audience Elementary Educators, Secondary Educators, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Practitioners, School Leaders/Administrators, Reading Specialists, Teachers of English Language Learners, Literacy Coaches, Instructional Support Team Members, School Psychologists, Pre-Service Teachers, Higher Education Instructors, Paraprofessionals, and Families.