How To Improve Reading Scores

Although outside my focus on classroom management, I’ve been asked again and again how I would improve reading scores.

So here it goes.

For context, reading scores are the lowest they’ve been in decades. Just 33 percent of fourth graders and 31 percent of eighth graders are proficient. The pandemic was a factor, but scores were dropping prior to 2020.

If the current approach to reading continues, the downward trend will also continue. Before I get to the changes I recommend, a caveat:

This is one article. It’s not a book. I only have so much space to make my case. Please understand that there is a lot to each of my three recommendations. There are details regarding how to implement and ensure their effectiveness that I’m happy to cover in future articles.

With that, what follows are three things I would do right now to improve reading scores.

1. Phonics First

Yes, I know most schools and teachers teach phonics. Everyone stresses that they do. Often very loudly. The problem, however, is that it’s taught as part of a “balanced literacy” approach that pulls in elements of whole language.

They should not be taught together. The teaching of sight words, pictures, context, and other clues in the early grades confuses students and subverts the mastering of phonetic skills.

It’s a giant time-waster that slows reading acquisition and leaves students behind in every subject area before even reaching second grade. They need a solid foundation of phonics first before adding comprehension strategies.

They need to graduate, if you will, and prove they can decode at a high level. In this way, now armed with the tools they need, reading and understanding develops naturally and quickly through lots and lots of language exposure and experience.

Thus, kindergarten and first grade teachers must focus on phonics-only instruction for 60 minutes per day baseline, while eschewing any and all other learning-to-read methods, until students demonstrate they’re ready to move on.

If a fourth or eighth grade student, or any age for that matter, is behind, then they too need to matriculate from a systematic phonics program via testing before joining their classmates. They need a step back for intensive phonetic study—which may look different for older students—or will never take two steps forward.

2. Pleasure Reading

Only 18 percent of students read more than 30 minutes a day. Is it any wonder scores are where they are? Especially given that children spend an average of 6-9 hours staring at screens.

The solution for schools is to create a culture of pleasure reading. This starts with teachers reading aloud great literature every day in order to draw students into the joys and incomparable rewards of volume reading.

The focus of read-aloud shouldn’t be on discussion-inducing topics, social issues, news articles, or cross-teaching of other academic subjects—which is de rigueur in schools today—but rather on what captivates young readers.

It’s adventure, romance, wonder, excitement, drama, heartache, and triumph that most ignites zeal for the written word.

Cultivating a love of reading should come first and foremost. This must be your number one goal, far and away above anything and everything else. The love of reading must trump all because it leads to vastly improved reading.

Nothing comes close to being as effective.

Furthermore, there should be dedicated and extended independent reading intervals throughout the day for all K-12 students. Yes, some areas teachers are used to covering will suffer. Students, however, will only benefit.

Because students who read more do better in every academic measure. The number of words read per day strongly correlates with school success—even math. After all, how can you adequately teach any subject at a high level when most of the class doesn’t read at a high level?

How can a middle school student, for example, appreciate, analyze, and discriminate scientific, historical, or mathematical text if they read at a fourth grade level?

You can’t and they can’t. Which is why most schools are spinning in mud with little to no progress. Acquiring a love of reading and its high volume, along with the inevitable galloping improvement in ability, must come first.

3. Grammar Base

As mentioned before, teachers tend to focus on books with a message.

They select titles that are controversial and will prompt discussion that they then spend precious minutes on. But unless your class is truly reading at grade level, this is largely a waste of time.

Sure, it may look good to have your students engaged when the principal stops by. It may make the teacher feel good about their pet issues. But it does nothing for students who can’t read well. It’s not learning. It’s fluff that makes little difference on their future.

Beyond the focus on pleasure reading, which by the way is the most effective way to also improve comprehension and reading fluency, time is well spent on grammar.

Knowing the parts of speech and diagramming sentences seems old fashioned, I get it. But it develops a deep appreciation for language and its inherent beauty. It’s a building block to better comprehension, vocabulary, and sentence structure.

It develops discipline and an in-depth understanding of words and how they should be used. It improves speaking and writing ability, use of tenses, diction, creative thinking, and reading enjoyment. It’s also interesting to students.

One of the tenets of effective teaching we’ve long extolled here at SCM is that contrary to what most teachers believe details are interesting to students. They want to know the nitty-gritty. Grammar taught passionately enhances and supports both the love of reading and the accompanying language skills.

No Excuses

Because I didn’t mention a particular strategy above doesn’t mean I necessarily think you should get rid of it. There may be a place for guided reading and small-group discussion, for example. But they must be done in support of and in deference to the methods above.

They must also be introduced at the proper time. Having students discuss a book they can’t read well and don’t fully understand—which I see in classroom after classroom I visit—is a lost cause. It also discourages the book’s enjoyment.

So much time is wasted on a facade of learning; on that which looks good, but with no real substance; on faux complexity, with sprinkles of acronyms and teacher-speak. But the emperor is shivering in the raw.

You must expect daily and visible reading improvement.

It’s possible and doable, for every teacher and student. The idea that children can’t or won’t learn to read has become acceptable. There are dozens of fill-in-the-blank excuses. I’ve heard them all. None hold water.

All students have the ability to read but they must be taught how using proven building blocks and graduating step-by-step to more refined skills.

Yes, some students may take more time. Some arrive in kindergarten further along than others. There are developmental differences. Students with dyslexia may need additional strategies and there may not be books in the home.

All normal variables.

Of course, all students need a teacher with effective classroom management skills that protect on-task learning and focused silent independent reading times. But with the right approach, and regular attendance, all kids can read at grade level.

One last thing. Phones should be put away for the entire day, even during transitions and between-class breaks and walking periods. They impede both learning to read and developing a love of reading, which take the kind of focus, work, and dedication that smart phone use undermines and cripples.

For your students’ sake, bring it up at your next staff meeting. It’s important. I’ve heard many reasons why this isn’t possible. Hogwash. Be creative. Find a way.

There are schools that have already done it. Why not yours?

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