BY MELISSA GLENN, CERTIFIED EDUCATOR AND READING SPECIALIST
Inside: Explore a list of great Science of Reading books for teachers to upgrade your teaching and align your literacy instruction with best practices.
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I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. My mind raced, replaying today’s small group reading lesson over and over. My students’ frustrated faces haunted me. Though I’d taught first grade for years and felt confident in my teaching, some kids still struggled no matter what I tried.
When I first started, balanced literacy was the go-to approach. But years later, the Science of Reading emerged with more effective, evidence-based methods.
Like most, I had resisted overhauling my instruction. How could I possibly drop my guided reading groups?! But I couldn’t ignore that some students weren’t progressing.
Lying awake, I thought of my struggling readers, their spirits sinking with each difficult lesson. If I learned new, research-backed approaches, I could finally help them succeed.
I owed it to them to find better ways to teach reading, even if it meant revamping everything I knew.
But where to start? In this post, I’ll share some suggestions to update your reading instruction to align with the Science of Reading. This list of Science of Reading books for teachers is curated to enhance your instructional strategies and take your literacy instruction to the next level.
Table of Contents
Begin Your Journey: Essential Science of Reading Books for Teachers
If you are just getting started with understanding and implementing the Science of Reading in your classroom, you should start by building a solid knowledge base.
I’ve compiled a list of books that are excellent introductions to the research and evidence-based practices behind the Science of Reading. They get into the cognitive science and linguistic foundations important for developing skilled readers.
These books explain the components of effective reading instruction, why they matter, and how to put them into practice.
If you are new to structured literacy or want to understand it better, you should check these out!
- Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates: This book bridges the gap between balanced literacy and the Science of Reading, making it great for starting.
- Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats: This book focuses on the building blocks of literacy, like phonological awareness and phonics, providing a solid foundation.
- The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Education Crisis—and the Solution by Natalie Wexler: This book explores the impact of background knowledge on reading comprehension, offering a broader perspective.
- Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling, and Literacy by Denise Eide: This book offers a straightforward exploration of English language rules, helping educators understand the system behind the language they teach. (This is one of my favorites).
From Theory to Classroom: Books for Implementing the Science of Reading
Once you have a solid understanding of the foundations of The Science of Reading, your next step is putting that knowledge into practice.
The following list of Science of Reading books for teachers includes titles that provide practical guidance, strategies, and resources for applying the principles of structured literacy and the Science of Reading in your instruction. Concrete examples, lesson plans, activities, and tips will help you bridge the gap between reading research and effective teaching.
Each of these Science of Reading books for teachers bridges the gap from foundational knowledge to classroom application.
When you are ready to revamp your phonics lessons, improve vocabulary building, or assess reading skills, these application-focused books are where it’s at.
- Equipped for Reading Success: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Reading Instruction by David Kilpatrick: This book provides a comprehensive framework for effective reading instruction with specific strategies for each component.
- Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties by David Kilpatrick: This book helps teachers identify and address reading difficulties with practical assessment and intervention strategies.
- 7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-to-3 Reading Success by Lindsay Kemeny: This book offers research-backed and classroom-tested strategies for K-3 reading success, ideal for immediate implementation.
In-Depth Science of Reading Books for Teachers Who Want More
If you want a deep understanding of the latest research on the Science of Reading, check out the books in the following list. These titles present thorough academic investigations into the cognitive and linguistic processes involved in skilled reading.
These in-depth texts provide scientific evidence for the efficacy of structured literacy approaches- and are helpful for anyone hoping to become a true expert in the Science of Reading.
- The Science of Reading: A Handbook by Margaret J. Snowling and Charles Hulme (Editors): This comprehensive handbook delves deep into the research on reading development and disorders, ideal for educators seeking a scholarly understanding.
- Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark Seidenberg: This book dives into the cognitive processes of reading, offering insights into why some struggle and how to help them.
- Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain by Maryanne Wolf: This book explores the neuroscience of reading, providing a fascinating look at the brain’s role in literacy development.
- Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read by Stanislas Dehaene: This book offers a detailed exploration of the brain mechanisms involved in reading, suitable for those interested in the neurological aspects.
The One Definitive Science of Reading Book…
When I first decided to learn about the Science of Reading, I looked for a definitive book to give me the complete picture. The truth is that no single book provides a comprehensive education on the topic by itself.
However, by reading texts from the foundational, practical, and research-focused books listed above, you can gain a well-rounded understanding of structured literacy and the Science of Reading. The collection of resources here equips teachers with knowledge from various helpful perspectives.
If you want to explore more Science of Reading resources right away, check out these posts on my blog:
- How Structured Literacy and the Science of Reading Can Boost Student Success
- The Best Phonics Scope and Sequence for Amazing Reading Growth
- Better Activities for Phonics: 7 Excellent Centers and Games Your Students Are Sure to Love
- Building Strong Foundations: The Power of Successful Science of Reading Literacy Centers
You can also find engaging, hands-on Science of Reading teaching materials in my TPT store. With fun literacy centers and classroom activities, you can quickly start implementing research-based practices.
Are you ready to take your teaching skills to the next level? Check out some of these Science of Reading books for teachers- they’re packed with the knowledge and insights you’ve been looking for. And they’ll help you become an even better teacher than you already are. ♥
