Shifting the Balance

 My instructional coach gave me Katie Egan Cunningham, Jan Burkins and Kari Yates' text Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom thinking I might enjoy reading it. She was right, I did enjoy reading it. It reaffirmed my beliefs about teaching reading> Even if that is not my primary job now, I do try to incorporate reading instruction into my work with high school students with special needs.

A couple of years ago the balanced reading approach was debunked and our pendulum is now swing to the science of reading. This swing is one that I have seen over the years I have taught and I expect that it will swing again in the future. What the science of reading proposes is that students pay attention to the print on the page in order to understand it rather than using a 3 cueing strategy. It puts a focus on phonics and phonemic awareness, especially in the early years. Other components are added in: language, fluency and comprehension, generally, it is assumed, later. I will advocate that all five components need to be woven together with a heavy emphasis in the primary years on phonemic awareness, phonics and language and adding a shift to greater focus in the later elementary years on fluency and comprehension. Shifting focus does not mean the other components are ignored, just given different amounts of attention.

This book is generally organized into six sections:

1. knowledges' impact on comprehension
2. strategy instruction
3. vocabulary
4. word reading
5. fluency
6. independent reading

With each section providing a vignette of a teacher with a concern, a list of misunderstandings and the science behind the explanations, and then recommendations for making the shift. The easy read format means you do not need to read the book cover to cover to find information you are looking for. The authors advise to make a small change rather than trying to change everything at once. 

Key things I took away include a focus on on prior and background knowledge. Some reading series have focused on this idea of Hirsch's Core Knowledge Curriculum. I have previously written about the importance of prior knowledge and am glad to see it focused on here. Eliminating science and social studies for a language arts block does not make sense, incorporate these subjects into the reading block so that kids read about what they are studying as well as develop knowledge about the world around them. This is especially important in places where children may not have rich outside experiences and language development.

Another important idea is that strategies, while useful and important, should not be the major focus of instruction throughout the upper elementary grades. Students still need instruction in phonics skills that they may not have yet acquired. Strategies are important tools, not the goal of instruction.

From vocabulary, we need to recognize that vocabulary develop is grown in three ways- oral language, wide reading and direct instruction. There is not enough time in the day to directly teach all the vocabulary students need. In Living Environment (aka biology) students need to learn three words a day, every day. Just for that course. Just level three words. We cannot teach all the words kids need to learn throughout the course of the day. They need multiple exposures to words in oral speech: According to the passage, what is a significant contributing factor to the fall of the Roman empire? Instead of just reading the question, add the definition of important after the word significant. We need to see vocabulary in text that we read, both in school for a class and independently. Unfortunately, while many kids are reading more, the texts and memes they read do not have a lot of language sophistication. I really liked the chart on page 80 that indicated rare words per thousand words:

• print ranged from newspapers 68.3 to children's books at 30.9
• TV ranged from adult TV of 22.7 to children's programing at 20.2
• speech indicators were expert witness at 28.4 and college graduate conversations at 17.3, 
• While not indicated, I suspect high school students and the tic tocks that appeal to them would be in the range of 10 words per 1000.

Students need lots of exposure to text with complex vocabulary and support to help them understand the complex vocabulary. Even children's books, a favorite instructional tool of mine, are better than mere conversation. I really like them because they are so accessible and can be followed up with more complex texts. Once the content and vocabulary framework have been built, they can then handle more challenging readings.

I have also written a great deal about fluency. If you look through those you will see that the most important thing here is that kids read quickly with meaning with understanding. Merely looking a speed eliminated the need to understand the text, a common criticism of fluency instruction. Fluency, however, is essential, because it is the bridge to comprehension.

Leveled reading is something, as a special education teacher, I have been concerned about. Giving work that is too far outside the zone of proximal development is counterproductive. That said interest and supportive knowledge and language work can make texts more accessible. Students should not be barred from reading hard, self-chosen books, they should be encouraged to reread interesting passages and books and they should be allowed to put a book down if it does not engage them.

This book is a great resource for people trying to reset their reading instruction to reflect the science of reading at the elementary level, but the book is also great for teachers at the secondary level who are concerned about their students success with reading.