It’s never too late for anyone to improve their skill level in reading or writing. But it’s best if such a process starts early, hence the importance of early literacy!

Sprig Language was created to help early learners achieve the fundamental milestones of literacy, beginning with oral language and leading to foundational reading and writing skills. Sprig Reading helps teachers track, assess and monitor the foundational reading skills throughout the school year.

What sets Sprig Learning resources apart from any other early literacy resources is that they support learning both inside the classroom and at homes with families. 

They are ideally suited for early learning, taking into account a young child’s learning process, and their daily interactions with everyone in the home and community. 

Indeed, in a child’s developmental years, the mind is like a sponge. Young learners absorb every bit of information, whether they interact with their:

Parents

Siblings

Grandparents

Uncles, aunts, cousins

Teachers

Caregivers

Friends

Learning resources

Learning programs

Thus, it’s important that early literacy development is a collective effort between all of the people, supports and resources involved. 

The Six Rules to Drive Early Literacy

When it comes to something as pivotal to future success as early literacy, there are certain rules for educators, which the research tells us makes a big impact on learning. 

They help give early literacy activities a shape and structure. They also help to combine the people, the process and technology into one seamlessly blended learning experience.

These six rules are integral in ensuring that early learners are set up for future success. 

When crafting an early literacy strategy, keep these six rules in mind. All are golden, so they are listed in no particular order. 

Rule Number 1— Use Recommended Duration Time for Planning

Setting aside dedicated time to focus on activities that develop listening, speaking, reading and all other literacy skills is essential. Often, if it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t get done in a meaningful way.

To make planning easier, Sprig Language includes hundreds of whole-class, center-based and individual activities that teachers can incorporate in their scheduled literacy blocks.  Every activity highlights estimated durations for the activity to easily slot in a classroom planner or schedule (see below).

The time mentioned for each activity lets the educator know approximately how long each learning activity is expected to take.  

Practice makes perfect, and practice requires dedicated time.

Rule Number 2— Build a Literacy Rich Environment

A literacy rich environment is one that includes sufficient educational materials and resources, both print and digital. 

When a young learner is surrounded by engaging and attractive resources, they are inspired! Resources can include material such as books, alphabet cards, writing exercises, cutouts to decorate classrooms that teach certain concepts, etc.,

Furthermore, it’s important to foster some level of digital literacy as well. One way this can be done is by having literacy apps and/or animated versions of storybooks, which stimulate multiple senses like audio, to build literacy skills. 

When an early learner finds themselves in an environment that is designed to promote literacy, they learn faster. 

Active and playful practice centers create engaging and interactive learning environments for young learners. By incorporating hands-on activities, games, and interactive materials, educators can make the learning process enjoyable and effective. One of the ways this can be done is through guided play-based learning.

It is critical to provide educational materials that are both on- and off-screen. The Sprig Learning platform is focused on assessment, instructional support and classroom management, but often it’s the many wonderful digital and physical learning materials that enrich the classroom environment!

Above is an alphabetic arc that is used to help build speed, accuracy, and automaticity in alphabet knowledge, letter recognition, and sequencing. 

There are hundreds more printable assets available through Sprig’s programs which allow educators to plan engaging classroom and center-based literacy activities. 

Rule Number 3— Be Consistent in What You Teach (Training and Application)

The Center for American Progress, an independent nonpartisan policy institute, says that “the advancement of literacy as a national priority has been inconsistent.” There is a need for targeted funding to low-income schools with a high concentration of students in poverty. 

It’s not fair to isolate the US in this lack of uniform planning for literacy improvements. It’s the same case throughout the world. In a recent study from Alberta, Canada, students from grade 1 to 3 were 8 to 12 months behind their reading level. 

More alarming is the fact that 3 out of 4 students who do not overcome their reading difficulties by grade 3, struggle with lifelong learning. 

In the US, a significant number of states have made the science of reading a prerequisite for elementary school teacher licensure. However, not all of these states require a comprehensive assessment of knowledge in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, namely: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. 

There is a great opportunity for professional development (PD) to include all of these foundational reading skills, which happens through training. Equally, there is an opportunity to use tools that are built to help students master these essential reading skills.

Without such tools and training, there is a lot more room for improvisation on effective instructional strategies and for choosing the best evidence-based practices suited to building pronunciation, word recognition, etc. 

With a tool that is already optimized to work on all these areas, the PD finds an immediate outlet through which it can have the greatest impact.Sprig Reading works on the foundational reading skills such as alphabet knowledge, phonics, phonological awareness, reading fluency and comprehension.

Rule Number 4— Partner with Parents and Community

Learning to read can be so much more fun (and effective) for children when family members are engaged.

But aside from being fun, it’s a great way to ensure that learning continues outside of the classroom. Significant brain development for a child happens from two to seven years of age. So it’s important to maximize learning inputs during this time. 

Holistic learning is premised on building a comprehensive understanding of a child’s learning that occurs in the school, in the home and in the community, in a way that is both balanced and holistic.

Parents often struggle to find time to reach with their child, but there are many ways caregivers can  be actively involved in their child’s education. 

Just as a student is informed in school about all the reading resources that are available to them, parents should also be aware. There are many apps available for download that provide access to high-quality reading materials. 

To help bridge the communication divide between educators and parents, Sprig Learning resources have parent and caregiver surveys that help educators get a perspective of the learning opportunities that occur at home. 

An example of a Caregiver Portal homepage where caregivers are able to see and complete personalized teacher-developed activities with the child to accelerate learning. They can also share their experience in a survey from the same portal.

Rule Number 5— Offer Structured Literacy Intervention

Structure ensures that no student falls through the cracks when it comes to acquiring the help they need.

Structured literacy intervention plays a crucial role in early literacy development. It focuses on providing targeted instruction to struggling readers, early and often, to help them build essential reading skills. 

With a structured approach, educators can effectively address individual learning needs and support students in their reading journeys. 

Sprig Reading offers the means to deliver structured literacy instruction, where the learning material is systematically organized, and provides the ability for teachers to deliver explicit instruction (for individuals, groups and/or classroom)  based on continuous assessment and observation.  

This empowers teachers to guide students towards reading success by following a structured approach to literacy interventions.

Regardless of the evidence-based intervention model used, such as multi-tier systems of supports or Response to Intervention, Sprig Reading enhances the capability for differentiated instruction.

The picture below shows a case where the assessment and instructional needs of students are similar, but where individual data is also displayed for further analysis as needed. 

Rule Number 6— Formatively Assess All Students

Formative assessment is a powerful tool for understanding students’ progress and identifying areas that require additional support. It is a precursor to the earlier rule of offering structured literacy intervention. 

Formative assessments are essential for effectively supporting differentiated instruction. Solely relying on summative assessments can be detrimental, as the resulting data is often too late to address students’ current learning needs, and align them with appropriate lesson plans and curriculum. Without timely formative assessments, the opportunity to intervene and support students’ learning journeys may be missed, hindering their overall academic development.

By regularly assessing students’ reading skills and comprehension, educators can make informed instructional decisions and tailor their teaching accordingly. 

Sprig Reading offers a robust formative assessment mechanism via its circle charts that enable teachers to regularly track student growth, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and adjust instruction to meet individual needs.

The Cheat Code

These six golden rules are incredibly powerful for early literacy development. It helps to have a summary takeaway that combines all of them into one effective adage. 

Summary Takeaway: 

Consistently schedule time to teach specific literacy skills in a resource-rich environment, in partnership with others involved in the child’s early learning. 

Formatively assess, track and monitor progress in a structured system that allows for timely interventions and personalized instruction.

Sprig Learning is passionate about early learning, especially as it relates to early literacy. If you liked reading this article, please consider subscribing to our blog. See button below.

If you have questions about implementing the right programs for early literacy development, please contact us. 

Research related to early reading success is most effective when the findings reach the educators and administrators who stand to benefit from implementing them in the classroom. 

Through exploration of translational science, researchers have examined the many layers that exist between research and classroom teachers. 

These layers encompass policies, politics, governing bodies, education leaders in districts and states, higher education institutes, and publishing companies. They influence decisions related to curriculum and professional development at the leadership level.

The existence of all these layers can impede the successful communication and adoption of research in classrooms.

But worry not, the gap between research and practice, and consequently, the achievement of early literacy success through practical application, can be bridged.

By addressing the three crucial factors outlined in this article, any school district, governing body, or elementary literacy team can enact policies or implement measures to successfully translate the latest research into actionable practices.

1. Stay Up To Par with Current Research: Leverage New Tools/Resources or Adapt Existing Ones

If your school lacks a comprehensive standard or curriculum that covers all the research-based foundational reading skills, consider exploring supplemental tools that offer structured lessons and engaging activities/resources. 

These resources play a crucial role in ensuring students receive essential lessons and participate in activities that enhance their understanding of key concepts.

While over half of elementary school teacher preparatory programs now have evidence-based components in them, this was not always the case. 

In instances where elementary school teacher preparatory programs may have lacked evidence-based components, educators might be accustomed to certain teaching methods.

If educators are not receiving training in structured literacy within their current school environment, how can they acquire this knowledge while fulfilling their teaching responsibilities?

Are there accessible teaching resources with integrated professional learning components? 

Alternatively, can support from specialists, such as literacy coaches, increasingly employed by many schools, fill this knowledge gap for educators?

These are legitimate questions that have to be answered if any education system is serious about bringing science-backed and proven early literacy research into schools.

Gathering the right support for teachers is one of the quickest ways to help them translate research into effective practice for early literacy success. That’s why it tops the list of three crucial factors.

2. Integrate the Science of Reading with The Science of Teaching Reading

There is a need for identifying strategies to align classroom practices with current knowledge on literacy development and instruction. Achieving this goal hinges on gaining a clear understanding of classroom teaching practices.

It needs to be understood how reading is taught in primary grades.

Is there resistance among teachers toward broad educational changes? One key point of contention in the discourse on word reading development is the appearance of total disregard of the language acquisition model. 

If such perceptions exist, they must be dispelled promptly. Evidence-based early literacy has consistently highlighted the crucial need for decoding skills, such as phonics and phonological awareness, and also skills such as oral language and comprehension. 

All these knowledge areas, and more that have not been mentioned, collectively constitute the foundational reading skills essential for evidence-based instruction and assessment tools.

Language can be universally and naturally acquired without explicit instruction, thriving in enriched linguistic environments. Whole language approaches leverage the innate development of language skills, arguing that children can deduce meaning from print.

Yet, studies indicate that word reading is distinct from the natural act of language learning and acquisition. Unlike oral language comprehension, reading is not universally inherent across cultures, languages, or individuals. 

Thus, it can be asserted that oral language comprehension is natural, while word reading necessitates explicit instruction.

Thus, it can be understood how educator knowledge, beliefs and perception about their teaching philosophies matter a great deal. Because it is ultimately them who will have to formulate the right teaching strategy and tactics, in line with the research, and with help from others.

They must teach and progressively monitor the foundational reading skills explicitly. Additionally, they need to create routines and classrooms with appropriate activities and learning environments. 

It’s a big ask. Thus, recognizing the importance of the science of teaching reading alongside the science of reading, is paramount.

Teachers require support through professional development which not only imparts new concepts but also provides practical, teacher-centric advice on applying these concepts in the classroom.

3. Adopt a Holistic Approach That Makes An Effort to Know the Full Context of Every Student

What if teachers, equipped with added support and enriched resources due to school initiatives, align their teaching with the latest research on early literacy success? 

What if there’s a concerted focus not only on the science of reading but also on the science of teaching reading, incorporating the best aspects of their existing practices and extensive teaching experience? 

Fulfilling the above criteria would result in a successful realization of the first two crucial factors discussed in the preceding sections.

Even with the fulfillment of the two mentioned criteria, the early learner’s perspective in bridging the gap between research and early literacy success remains unaddressed.

While school resources and personnel have been acknowledged, the ultimate beneficiaries of the education system, the students, have yet to be discussed.

They indirectly benefit from evidence-based teaching practices like explicit and differentiated instruction, which tailor lessons to their individual competency. But understanding their full backstory and current learning circumstance is also crucial for an effective early literacy approach.

What does understanding a student’s full circumstances entail?It involves gaining insights into their interests, strengths, and learning experiences beyond the classroom, encompassing their home and community environments.

Understanding all these different areas to get a complete picture is holistic learning. When combined with evidence-based learning, it is a powerful deciding factor for early literacy success.

Bridge The Gap Between Research and Early Literacy Success 

We stand at a crucial juncture, armed with compelling evidence supporting specific teaching content and practices, which is finally being implemented at large in schools throughout North America.

Therefore, in this very important era of widely translating research into early literacy success, it is strongly encouraged to bear in mind the three factors highlighted in this article.

Using enrichment/supplementary tools +combining research with the art of teaching + learning as much as we can about the student= Abridgment of Gap between Research and Early Literacy Success.