This is the Reading Instruction Show.
I'm your host as always, Dr. Andy Johnson.
This is the fourth in a series of podcasts looking
at an article published in The New Yorker.
The article was entitled The Rise and Fall of Vibes-Based
Literacy by Jessica Winter.
This podcast looks at curriculum, intensive phonics,
and vocabulary building instruction.
Now, Jessica Winter is an editor at The New Yorker
where she also writes about family and education.
And she wrote this article entitled
The Rise and Fall of Vibes-Based Literacy.
And I'm spending time analyzing this article
in a series of podcasts because it misdescribes
reading instruction in a way that's really hard to imagine.
And in so doing, it perfectly represents
the misdescriptions and un-understandings
of the science of reading movement.
So let's take a look at this.
Current science of reading mandates
are based on a bit of non-scientific
pre-operational thinking that posits
that good teaching of reading is a result
of implementing certain pre-approved programs with fidelity.
However, these mandates force good teachers
to commit educational malpractice on a daily basis.
Good teaching doesn't come from any program or curriculum
or approach or set of standards.
Good teaching only comes from good teachers.
You can't mandate your way to good reading instruction.
You can't buy your way to good reading instruction.
You can't standard your way to good reading instruction.
And you can't legislate your way to good reading instruction.
Good reading instruction only comes
from good reading instructors.
And a good reading instructor is one
who possesses six kinds of knowledge, knowledge
of human learning, knowledge of how the brain creates
meaning with print, knowledge of literacy teaching
and learning, knowledge of literacy research,
knowledge of literacy assessment and diagnosis,
and knowledge of literacy pedagogy.
However, current science of reading mandates
want teachers to have only three kinds of knowledge,
knowledge of following directions,
knowledge of program implementation,
and knowledge of shutting up and doing what you're told.
Now, I'm analyzing all the things
that Jessica Winter got wrong in her article
because that's what I do.
And I'm using my teeny tiny little podcast
to point out the errors and misinformation
of her article written for The New Yorker
because it has a circulation of over a million readers.
My podcast, not so much.
And she had lots of errors.
And I'm assuming her errors weren't intentional.
So we are left to conclude that her errors are
based on a lack of knowledge.
And a lack of knowledge is sometimes known as ignorance.
So in her article, and it was called
The Rise and Fall of Vibes-Based Literacy,
and that title was meant to be a slam on current practices,
Jessica Winter refers to units of study as a curriculum.
She writes, and I quote,
Brooklyn Public Schools' main reading and writing
curriculum comma units of study is rooted in a method known
as balanced literacy.
So let's do a bit of unpacking.
First, units of study is not a curriculum.
Let's be clear on what a curriculum is.
A curriculum is a systematic plan for instruction designed
by teachers within a school or school district.
It identifies the specific knowledge and skills
to be taught at what grade level and in what context.
A curriculum is not a program that you buy.
This is a common mistake.
Curriculums are meant to be designed by teachers
based on teachers' knowledge of content, knowledge
of students' developmental levels, interests and needs,
and their pedagogical content knowledge.
A curriculum is not or should not
be a program that you purchase.
You can't buy a curriculum.
You can buy programs that support a curriculum,
but a curriculum is something that is developed
or should be developed by a school or a district.
When school districts try to buy a curriculum,
they abdicate their responsibility
and put the writers of textbook, programs, and curriculum
materials in charge of what's taught at local schools.
They put the onus on them, and that's never a good idea.
Nameless, faceless people who don't know your students,
their needs and interests, or your teaching style
are deciding what's taught in your classroom, when it's taught,
and how it's taught, and how is that good education.
Now, units of study developed by Lucy Cochens
is a literacy program.
It's a tool, and units of study can be an effective tool.
However, any tool's effectiveness
is dependent on how it's used.
It is not a curriculum.
Units of study is a program, and there
are no magic one size fits all programs that work for best
for all students.
Now, Jessica Winter goes on to say, and I quote,
units of study is rooted in a method known as balanced
literacy.
Let's unpack that statement.
Balanced literacy is not a method.
A method in education is a particular way of doing something.
It has specific steps and procedures,
reading methods and math methods.
These are ways to go about specific things,
specific ways to teach these content areas,
specific pedagogical strategies.
There is no singular method called balanced literacy.
Balanced literacy is not a method.
There's no standardized set of steps that must be followed.
It's not a program.
You can't buy balanced literacy.
It's not a curriculum.
There's no systematic plan for instruction.
What is balanced literacy?
Balanced literacy is a continuum with explicit skills
instruction on one end and meaning-based activities
on the other.
Balanced literacy is an understanding
that effective literacy instruction
has a balance of skills instruction and opportunities
to use these skills in authentic reading and writing
context.
Now, in the middle of these two extremes, skills and using them,
there's a sliding structure.
However, that sliding structure gravitates towards either end
of the continuum, depending on the needs of the students.
And if you wanted a term, I guess you
could call balanced literacy an approach to teaching based
on how humans best learn.
Balanced literacy is an approach consisting of 10 elements,
phonemic awareness, Bonnix instruction and word work,
activities to develop a word recognition,
activities for word identification,
they're different, daily reading practice,
social interaction and conversation around good books,
authentic writing experiences, comprehension instruction,
word knowledge or vocabulary and attention
to the effective element, motivation and emotions.
Those are the ten essential elements
of a comprehensive literacy program.
Now, back to balanced literacy instruction.
What does the National Reading Panel
say about balanced reading instruction?
That is the Bible used by the Science of Reading Club.
It says, and again, balanced literacy
is an understanding that good instruction is a balance
of skills instruction and authentic literacy activities.
The National Reading Panel said this on page 2-97,
quote, systematic phonics instruction
should be integrated with other reading instruction
to create a balanced reading program, unquote.
It goes on to say, quote, phonics should not
become the dominant component in a reading program,
neither in the amount of time devoted to it,
nor the significance attached, unquote, page 2-97.
All right, so let's do some more unpacking.
Consensus among research.
Jessica Winters goes on to write this, quote,
these developments reflect a longstanding consensus
among researchers that intensive phonics and vocabulary
building instruction, an approach often referred to nowadays
as the science of reading, are essential.
Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
Now, in an academic publication, you
would never get away with a statement like this,
yet have to cite your sources.
That's why we have peer reviewed research.
Peer reviewed research is the currency that
drives an academic economy, and teaching is an academic endeavor.
And she says there's consensus among researchers
that intensive phonics and consensus among researchers.
What researchers?
How many researchers?
Two researchers?
Did you find two researchers who agreed and called it a consensus?
Were they literacy researchers?
Or were they soybean researchers or bovine researchers
or psychology researchers or medical researchers?
Consensus among researchers, you say.
Now, you're given the false impression, Jessica,
that intensive phonics and vocabulary instruction
are an approach, and that there's
a consensus among literacy researchers that think
this approach should be used.
And that is simply not true.
That's wrong.
And if you don't know it, you should.
I don't know if this is ignorant speaking or arrogance
or a bit of both.
What is accurate is this.
There is an agreement among most literacy researchers
that phonics instruction and word learning or vocabulary
should be part of a total literacy program.
That's what a consensus of literacy researchers agree on.
That you got it wrong, Jessica.
Intensive phonics.
Again, phonics instruction and vocabulary building
are not an approach.
You called it an approach.
That's wrong.
There are two essential elements of the 10 elements
of a comprehensive literacy program, two of 10 essential parts
of what should be in a reading program.
And you wrote intensive phonics and vocabulary building
instruction are essential.
Yes, they're essential.
Part.
They're necessary but not sufficient.
Well, let's go back to the National Reading Panel again.
Your Bible.
What does it say about intensive phonics?
It says this.
Phonics instruction failed to produce a significant impact
on the reading performance of low achieving readers
in second through sixth grade.
Now, that's a consensus among researchers.
It also said the impact of phonics on comprehension
is limited.
That's a consensus among researchers.
Phonics instruction contributed only weekly, if at all,
in helping poor readers apply these skills
to read actual texts National Reading Panel.
There were insufficient data to draw any conclusions
about the effects of phonics instruction
with normally developing readers above first grade.
That is a consensus among researchers.
And last, phonics instruction fails
to exert a statistically significant impact
on poor readers in second through sixth grade.
That is a consensus among literacy researchers.
And here's the thing.
Balanced literacy does include intensive phonics instruction.
It's not the what of intensive phonics instruction.
It's the how and the how much of intensive phonics instruction
that is at issue here.
How much intensive phonics instruction should be included?
Well, only as much as each individual reader needs.
But if you would listen to Jessica Walter,
Winter, I'm sorry, and listen to Emily Hanford,
they would have you believe that reading instruction
should consist mostly, if not all,
of intensive phonics instruction or vocabulary building
instruction.
So that's a good segue.
Vocabulary building instruction.
She says that there should be intensive phonics
and vocabulary building instruction.
Again, these are only two of 10 essential elements.
But what does Jessica mean by vocabulary building instruction?
What does that look like, Jessica?
What are you trying to say?
Now, in an academic setting, you can't just say things.
You have to cite it.
That's the difference between an academic journal
and that thing you write for.
What's it called?
Oh, yes, a magazine.
Do you know what you're talking about?
Vocabulary building instruction.
What does that look like?
Do you mean direct instruction?
Do you mean telling students the meaning of words?
It sounds good, vocabulary instruction.
To the layperson, it may even sound like you know what
you're talking about.
But let's, again, take a visit to the National Reading Panel
Report.
Quote, then panel found no research of vocabulary
measurement that met the National Reading Panel
criteria.
There, for a detailed review of implicit evidence
is presented.
And here's what they found.
Explicit instruction.
This is called direct instruction.
Here, students are given definitions
or attributes of words to be learned.
Yes, this should be done as a pre-reading or pre-lesson
activity.
Instruction, vocabulary instruction prior to reading
or a lesson can facilitate vocabulary acquisition
and comprehension.
To the panel found that you need repeated exposure
to words, multiple exposures.
Yes, the panel found that wide reading is essential.
Vocabulary can be learned in the context of storybook reading.
The panel also found that vocabulary
can be learned listening to stories being read.
It learned that learning in rich context
is valuable for word learning.
And active engagement, students that
need to be actively engaged, they
need to do something with the words.
They found that vocabulary can be learned in incidental learning.
And it found that dependence on a single vocabulary
instructional method will not result in optimal learning.
That's what the National Reading Panel Report found.
And again, Jessica, what do you mean
by vocabulary building instruction?
Children learn between 3,000 and 5,000 words a year.
What would intensive vocabulary building instruction
look like?
If you mean activities and instruction
to build students' vocabularies,
it would look a lot like balanced literacy.
Absolutely.
Now in my book, 10 Essential Instructional Elements
for Students with Reading Difficulties,
I describe with citations seven research-based word
learning strategies.
Number one, promote wide reading.
Absolutely.
This is what you'd see in a balanced literacy program.
Wide reading enhances word learning, fluency, comprehension,
and word recognition.
Two, model sophisticated word usage.
This would be the teacher modeling new words.
This enables students to learn new words incidentally
in authentic context, as well as develop word consciousness.
Number three, provide contextual and definitional information.
That means when new words are introduced,
provide both contextual and definitional information.
Students should always see or hear a word
in the context of a sentence.
Four, connect new to known when introducing new words.
Always try to link new words to known words and concepts,
make associations.
Number five, multiple exposures.
An initial exposure does very little
to move a new word into students' vocabulary.
They need to encounter new words many times
in a variety of contexts over time.
Six, provide active, in-depth processing of words.
That means create writing and speaking activities
where students must use the words.
And seven, connect word learning to concept building.
One of the best places for addressing vocabulary
is when learning new concepts in science and social studies
or other curriculum areas.
Teach new concepts.
Introduce vocabulary using diagrams, semantic maps,
or other forms of graphic organizers.
This enables students to perceive the relatedness
and interrelatedness of new words and concepts.
So in conclusion to this podcast,
I've got four podcasts in the can.
And I'm not even to the bottom of page two
of Jessica Winter's 13-page article.
So I've got lots and lots of podcasts to go.
But in conclusion, one, units of study is not a curriculum.
It's a program.
Number two, a curriculum is a systematic plan
for instruction designed by teachers
within a school or school district
that identifies the specific knowledge and skills
to be taught at what grade level and in what context.
Number three, balanced literacy is not a program.
You can't buy balanced literacy.
Number four, balanced literacy is not a curriculum.
Number five, balanced literacy is a balance
between skills instruction and meaningful literacy activities.
It has 10 different elements.
Number six, the National Reading Panel report
supports a balanced reading program.
Number seven, intensive phonics
and vocabulary building instruction is not an approach.
It is simply two out of 10 essential elements
in a balanced literacy program.
Number eight, in balanced literacy programs,
there are both intensive phonics instruction
and vocabulary building instruction, among other things.
Number nine, a consensus among researchers
just means two or more people who do research agree on something.
Number 10, peer-reviewed research is the currency
used in an academic economy.
Teaching is an academic endeavor.
Number 11, science of reading mandates
force good teachers to commit educational malpractice
on a daily basis.
And number 12, good reading instruction only comes
from good reading teachers.
This has been the Reading Instruction Show.
I am your host, as always, Dr. Andy Johnson.