Barrie Olson moves us beyond linear literacy instruction

For decades, reading instruction in the US has been the subject of debate while student scores have remained largely stagnant—and it’s time for a shift. Recent efforts have centered on the science of reading, often treated as a silver bullet to improve instructional practice and create stronger readers. Much of this focus has been on early grades, emphasizing phonemic awareness and decoding so children can master comprehension later.

This approach reflects the familiar axiom: children “learn to read” in the early grades and then “read to learn” starting in third grade. While this distinction is helpful, it is also limiting. Reading success does not unfold in a straight line. It is a reciprocal cycle in which each stage—sound, sense, thought, and knowledge—feeds and strengthens the others.…