The “science of reading” refers to the wealth of evidence-based research that demonstrates how children learn to read and the type of instructional practices that can get them there.
Structured Literacy is the instructional practice that children need to become strong readers. Explicit systematic teaching of Structured Literacy means that concepts (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) are clearly explained and modeleed. The actions of the teacher are clear, direct and visible. Systematic teaching means lessons are carefully planned and sequenced. It also means that the lessons build on what students have already learned and move from simple to complex. This approach is helpful for all students and can be beneficial not only for students with reading disabilities, but also for other at-risk students including English learners.
