Bringing the Science of Reading to Preservice Elementary Teachers: Tools That Bridge Research and Practice

ABSTRACT Teacher preparation institutions have been critiqued for insufficient emphasis on the science of reading. The authors argue that although improving early reading success and teacher preparation are both critical issues, today’s “science of reading” discourse does not fully capture the complexity of teaching students to read. First, the authors describe the lattice model of reading development, which holds that a collection of text‐based, linguistic, and regulatory processes require interleaved, individualized focus in reading instruction; this is a tall order for early/elementary teachers to deliver. Second, the authors discuss evidence from the broader science of learning that preservice elementary‐grade teachers likely need multiple, highly focused, classroom‐based opportunities for deliberate practice and feedback to be ready to teach reading. Yet, because most are trained as content generalists over just two or three years, such systematic practice in reading may not be available. Thus, it is not simply that new teachers are unaware of effective reading instructional techniques; the more fundamental issue is that these techniques are extremely complex to implement well and that teacher candidates likely need substantial scaffolding to use them. Finally, the authors explore one promising solution: embedding preservice training with focused, targeted interventions around reading instruction that have supported experienced teachers. As examples, the Assessment‐to Instruction and Story Talk programs offer teachers precise, practical guidance, bridging the research on reading and real‐world classroom practice. The authors conclude with design principles that help infuse “science of learning” principles into preservice reading education.