Why focus on structured literacy systems?

While the Science of Reading is an established set of evidence around the best way to teach literacy, momentum has gained with the news of literacy systems like Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Steubenville OH, Bonita CA and others having statistically significant results. While the specific tools and methodology was different in each situation, a dedication to SoR and creating a system to deliver on the promise of SoR has been a key aspect to deliver results for all of them.

What is the Science of Reading? The collective body of evidence of how to teach reading.

What is Structured Literacy? The application of the Science of Reading!

Systems can start simple, but will need to be comprehensive to solve complex situations

Nicole Patten Terry from FCRR lays out beautifully some conditions to deliver on the promise of the Science of Reading. One of which is to realize complex problems require comprehensive solutions. Systems can start out simple and in Meadows book, she often describes systems around redistributing water. So, if you were looking to move 10,000 gallons of water into the ocean, a simple system for that may be to have a river that is connected to the ocean distribute water in the river to the ocean. However, if the 10,000 gallons of water you wanted to distribute to the ocean was in a pond 1000 miles from the ocean, disconnected from any rivers, you will have the need to create, monitor and nurture a whole system to get the water where it needs to be. Likewise in education, it would be easiest to get 95% of a set of fourth graders to read if we gathered a group of 3rd graders reading where 95% at one year or more above grade level. There still is a lot of work to do, but easier than if say 35% of third grade students are reading proficiently.

So there is a need for comprehensive systems. “Thinking in Systems” can be a bit text bookish as a read, but the concepts we use to drive thinking are stocks (referred to as elements from here on out), flows and feedback loops.

  • System Elements - the physical and non-physical elements of the system that cause change.

  • Flow - the material or information flowing through the system elements. Ie - Student’s literacy proficiency.

  • Feedback Loops - if a behavior persists over time, it is due to the existence of a feedback loop, replicating the intended outcome for the flow.

Simple View of a Structured Literacy System

So the simplest view of a very comprehensive system, using Donna Meadows faucet handles to enable system elements to create a good flow with possible feedback loops, we can envision the very highest view being:

System Components and Sub-Components

For the organization of this site, we will use four primary components: Collaboration, Educator Empowerment, Instruction and Assessment. However, within each, we will also look at some sub-components in the chart below to help draw out specific problems and pathways to solve those problems.

Systems thinking can be scary, seem overwhelming and impossible. There is not a singular drawing of a school’s literacy system flow that can encompass what happens at different schools, different grade levels, within different needs of students. With 33 to 35% of our students reading proficiently on a scientifically established goal of 95%, the task seems daunting. We shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves as a community to fix it all overnight as it won’t happen. But if we do work within a systems mindset and urgency on outcomes, we can start to make results we have yet to achieve to date. 

We will be monitoring effective systems here with results and commonalities. If there are systems of success you would like us to highlight or review, please contact us here and we love to spread information about emerging best practice and results. Otherwise, we hope you share the passion for structured literacy systems and please let us help in any way. 

The Standard Journey of Early Preparation to Full Implementation

We use these stages to help discussion where an educator is on their journey from becoming aware of the Science of Reading and beginning to prepare to shift an organization to full implementation of Structured Literacy.

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