The Science of Reading

Caregivers are a child’s first and best teacher when it comes to preparing them for the world. Reading is a skill that must be taught. Utah Kids Ready to Read, an early literacy and education initiative, proposes that every caregiver has the skills to prepare their little ones for the important work of reading.

The most effective strategies and research based practices are recognized as being part of the science of reading. The science of reading is a term that is used to describe evidence-based instruction that supports children’s reading skills. As we learn more about how early literacy develops, the tools and practices are updated to best support learners. Some of the most current instructional strategies use the six literacy skills which target specific aspects of reading.

For our youngest learners, babies and children not yet in school, we can prepare them for instruction by using the five literacy practices. These practices have been developed by Every Child Ready to Read and are grounded in the science of reading.

Resources

• Colorín Colorado
  • Help your child learn to read
• The Reading League
  Some links on this website will take you to paid content
• Reading Ready Caregiver Guide
• Science of Reading Made Easy: Practical Ways to Build Strong Literacy Foundations in Pre-K and K Webinar
• Urban Libraries Council - Science of Reading
• What Works Clearinghouse

References

Every Child Ready to Read. (2026, March 18). https://everychildreadytoread.org 

Prendergast, Tess. (2023, August 18). The Science of Reading: A Primer for Children’s Library Staff. https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2023/08/the-science-of-reading-a-primer-for-childrens-library-staff 

The Reading League. (2026, March 18). Science of Reading: Defining Guide. https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-thescience-of-reading 

Sensale Yazdian, Lisa M., & Diamant-Cohen, Betsy. (2024) Using the Science of Reading (SoR) to Support Beginning Readers. Children and Libraries, 22 (3), 37-39. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/8298 

South Dakota State Library. (2025, August). Public Librarian’s Guide to the Science of Reading. https://library.sd.gov/LIB/documents/Guide-SciReading.pdf 

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by third-party organizations on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the Utah State Library, nor do they constitute endorsement of the party’s services. Links to external organizations or resources are provided for information only and should not be interpreted as official positions of USL.