FAQs from Our Big City Reader Community

Apr 23

Our Big City Reader followers (both parents and teachers) alway bring insightful questions, especially about the Science of Reading. In this podcast episode, I had the opportunity to ask Jessica some of your questions.

“How Can I Support the Shift to Science of Reading Instruction?”

Are you a parent feeling passionate about advocating for Science of Reading instruction but unsure where to start? You're not alone. Here are some steps you can take:

Get Involved: Attend school board and PTO meetings. Your presence and voice can make a difference.
Stay Positive: When sharing research or resources (especially those free gems everyone appreciates), come from a positive place. Lean into the idea that you’re sharing information that is important and coming from a place of love to support your community.
Open Communication is Key: As a parent, when talking to teachers, focus on sharing the positive outcomes you've seen with your child at home. Highlight the strategies and resources that have made a difference for your child. This will help keep the line of communication open in a positive way and help with the school-home connection for your child.

“What Curriculum Should I Ask for in My School District?”

Curriculum should include decoding skills and reading comprehension components. However, finding one that excels in both areas can be challenging. Many large, all-encompassing reading programs often claim to cover both decoding and reading comprehension. However, it's rare to find one curriculum that excels in both areas. Most companies tend to offer mediocre solutions without specializing in either decoding or comprehension.

Below are some go to’s that Jessica often shares with her followers if you’re looking for a new curriculum. She finds these companies are incorporating best practices for literacy instruction and are based on the body of research from the Science of Reading.

Jessica relays that you’ll need a foundational skills curriculum, especially for kindergarten, first and second grade. University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) offers resources that are free right on their website (teacher slides, decodable passages—all free!) with a recommended, relatively low cost teacher manual. It’s all evidence based and research aligned.

Another option is Open Court Foundational Skills Kits . This one is more expensive. They provide an option that includes instructional practice in phonemic awareness, phonics, oral language, vocabulary and fluency.

Then there are some companies with decodable texts. Phonic Books and Junior Learning are two solid options.

“What Should I Do If I Ask for a Specific Curriculum and My School District Doesn’t Change?”

As an educator, Jessica comes with an understanding that sometimes you’re locked in with a specific curriculum or reading program that you must use. If this is you, she suggests using what you have and making adjustments where you can to support your instructional methods. She also suggests pulling out the best pieces of a curriculum that align with the Science of Reading research.

Jessica mentions that you can really focus on your small group instruction time to incorporate evidence-based practices. Look for free resources to fill in the gaps, just like the videos and resources Jessica shares on her social media accounts (linked below!).

“Do You Have a Favorite Homeschool Curriculum?”

UFLI, again, is a great resource for foundational reading skills.

Jessica underscores the importance of also having language comprehension as a part of your routine. Even for younger children, which can include you reading aloud to them.

Since homeschool curriculum can be more flexible, Jessica shares that you should feel free to make themed units based on your child’s interests, but you must be sure to tie in foundational skills and comprehension skills.

“What Do You Think About LETRS Training?”

Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) is a professional learning program for early childhood and elementary educators and administrators. It offers insights into the Science of Reading and covers essential parts of reading and writing instruction, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and written language.

Jessica has been to LETRS training and is a facilitator for LETRS for Early Childhood Training.

This is a great training to see if your district will fund if you’re looking to know the “why” behind reading instruction.

“What is the Best Thing to Do with Other Students While I Pull Students for Guided Reading?”

Jessica shares that during her small group time, she kept the rest of the class engaged with activities that supported independence and learning.

Examples of that can include:

Listening centers
Using 1:1 devices for educational apps
Focused seat work

Jessica stresses the importance of making sure to have your routines and procedures in place and to slowly introduce centers. This way, your students can work pretty independently while you’re in your group. The first centers you introduce can be very simple—think activities like coloring and blocks—to help students master essential skills like working together and tidying up.

You can introduce more academic centers as your students become used to the routines. Jessica shares that you should keep these activities simple and let it reinforce already learned content—avoid anything that’s brand new. This approach will help build confidence and fluency, while giving you space to concentrate on your small group sessions.

Jessica, drawing from her experience as both a mom and a former teacher, stresses the importance of mutual respect in these conversations.

With her deep understanding of the Science of Reading approach, Jessica offered her perspectives and I’m here to share the highlights of her responses.

For more tips and insights to nurture lifelong learners, hop over to my Instagram page.

And, don't forget to explore episodes on the podcast, Play On Words, where you’ll hear more about making learning fun and accessible for all.

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I’m the founder of BCR, host of the Play on Words podcast, a consultant for the Chicago Public Library, and more! On the blog, I regularly share my tips, insights, and knowledge on early literacy.