Unpacking The Science of Reading to Inform ELA Instruction

3 PD Hours

The Science of Reading is an ever-growing body of research from cognitive and development scientists, neuroscientists, and educational psychologists that analyzes and explains how the brain learns to read. The human brain was not wired for reading; it is not an innate skill that many seem to develop naturally, such as listening or speaking. Instead, reading must be taught through an explicit, multimodal approach. 

The National Reading Panel identified five key foundations of effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In these two sessions, learn how the Science of Reading informs instruction in these key components. We will discuss a word study approach, fluency instruction, tiers of vocabulary knowledge, and the role of background knowledge in comprehension. Educators will explore structured best practices for teaching the elements of reading. We will also share a variety of resources to support explicit reading instruction.

Professional Standards addressed: K1, P1
Online facilitated
Register on the SABES website at the link below:

• Jan. 12 & Jan. 26, 2026