Science of Reading

Teaching someone how to read is complicated. There are different teaching methods that have been used for years, and there is growing belief that the "science of reading" method is the best of them all. The data supports this.  Essentially, this method combines five literacy elements:

• Phonemic awareness - the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words
• Phonics - the ability to match written letters to the sounds of spoken language
• Fluency - the ability to read words and sentences smoothly, quickly and with expression
• Vocabulary - the words a child can understand the meaning of and can properly use in conversation
• Comprehension - the ability to make meaning from what is read

These are actually not new concepts, but they were deemphasized in some school curricula as new methods were tried and tested. By returning to these elements, we hope to improve the reading proficiency of all students.

The State of Indiana has joined many other states around the country by passing a new law requiring schools to use curriculum materials emphasizing these concepts. All districts must convert by the 2024-25 school year.

Muncie Community Schools had already been looking for a better way to improve reading proficiency. In the spring of 2023, several new curricula were reviewed and tested in classrooms. Amplify CKLA, based in the science of reading, was the unanimous choice moving forward. You can learn more about the concepts and why our teachers are so excited about the switch in the video above.