The Science Of Reading For English Learners

In recent years, a movement of researchers, educators, and parents promoting the science of reading has been reigniting the so-called “reading wars.” This movement has pointed out the ways in which typical balanced literacy practices do not reflect research on how students learn to read, especially in the acquisition of word recognition skills. However, the current debate is sometimes ignoring the unique needs of a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. student population: English Learners (ELs) and other multilingual students. This capstone project addresses the question: How does the science of reading inform reading instruction for ELs within a balanced literacy model? Both balanced literacy practices and some popular interpretations of the science of reading have ignored the importance of language development. At the same time, the simple view of reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) commonly cited by science of reading advocates is an excellent tool for illustrating the essential role of language development in supporting reading comprehension. This project is a website compiling the research on ELs’ unique reading needs and categorizing supports to boost their reading achievement using the conceptual framework of the simple view of reading and the “reading rope” (Scarborough, 2022). The goal of this project is to provide educators with a tool for professional growth and collaboration to shift reading instruction practices in a way that centers ELs\u27 needs