Center for Literacy and Language Education and Research

The Science of Reading (SOR) is intended to benefit all children as they develop a strong foundation in reading. For a growing number of students who have proficiencies in languages other than English, how they experience SOR classroom activities differs. Students who are learning English as an additional language come from a variety of language backgrounds and enter at different levels of English proficiency, ranging from beginner to advanced. This research brief provides a linguistic landscape of Indiana’s K-12 students, followed by a review of the research on how certain components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency) are different for identified-English learners (ELs).

Within the body of literature that provides sound evidence of reading and writing development and disorders, knowledge of morphological structure has been found to play a crucial role. Specifically, awareness of morphological structure (e.g., morphological awareness) serves as an avenue for improving vocabulary, word reading, spelling and reading comprehension. This research brief provides an overview of morphology and morphological awareness, why it is important for reading and writing, how morphological awareness contributes to the aforementioned skills, and considerations for non-native English speakers.

Learning requires the integration of many skills, with language development being a crucial foundational aspect. Language development across five domains-phonology (the sounds within a language), morphology (word structure/formation), semantics (word meaning), syntax (sentence structure/grammar), and pragmatics (use in varying contexts)-unequivocally supports the acquisition of reading and writing skills. Specifically, morphological knowledge is vital for improving vocabulary, word recognition, spelling and reading comprehension.  This practice brief provides an overview of morphological awareness and derived words, provides a rationale for teaching morphological awareness, and instructional strategies supported by science.

A fundamental aspect of learning to read is mastering the ABCs. This includes recognizing the letter names and their corresponding sounds. In some classrooms, the focus is on memorizing each letter name and sound, with equal attention to each letter. Researchers have demonstrated that children’s letter learning is influenced by many factors.  Some of these may be obvious, but others are less so. Understanding how letter learning takes place is practically useful as parents and teachers impart this critical skill to their children (McBride, in press).

Dyslexia, a specific learning disability (SLD) characterized by word reading impairment, is commonly misunderstood as a disorder in which learners simply reverse their letters, like b and d. Research in cognitive neuroscience tells a different story, and can help us to target our instruction to better serve struggling readers.

The Science of Reading (SOR) is intended to benefit all children as they develop foundational skills in reading. For students who bring proficiencies in languages and dialects other than Standard English, their experience of SOR instruction often differs. These learners draw upon diverse linguistic repertoires, ranging from varied sound systems to complex morphological and syntactic structures, that shape how they engage with classroom activities such as phonics, decoding, and comprehension. This research brief highlights the importance of teachers’ linguistic knowledge in ensuring that SOR-aligned instruction distinctly and equitably serve multilingual learners. The brief provides an overview of six areas of linguistics (Figure 1: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, and dialect awareness) that are directly connected to reading instruction. Each section reviews why these areas matter for literacy development and offer practical implications for classroom practice.

Educator preparation programs (EPPs) across the country are shifting their literacy curricula to align with the research-based approaches of the “Science of Reading” (SoR).  With this change comes the challenge of selecting textbooks and other course materials that will ensure effective classroom practices. This brief aims to provide a quick starting point for identifying literacy textbooks and materials. The books listed in this brief were part of a discussion at The Reading League – Indiana Higher Education Collaboration during its September 2025 meeting. Colleagues from different disciplines shared their interests and preferences for books to teach reading, both at basic and more advanced levels. The Reading League has colleagues in the areas of literacy/reading education, curriculum and instruction, special education, speech and hearing sciences, human development and family science, early childhood education, and other specialties. We teach undergraduate and graduate courses. Our list is not by any means comprehensive, and we acknowledge that what works for one course or audience may not work for another. This list begins with comprehensive textbooks that focus on building the foundation for SoR-aligned literacy instruction. The list then provides more information on specific areas of literacy learning. Please note that the ratings from the National Council on Teaching Quality (NCTQ) (n.d.) are listed in parenthesis between the title and author(s) whenever possible. NCTQ has a 3-point rating scale. According to their scale, a 1 indicates that the book is unacceptable according to certain SoR standards that they have set. Two as a rating indicates that the book is acceptable according to these standards. A label of “exemplary” is given for books with a 3 on this scale. Please keep these in mind as you consider these books. Also, please note that some of these books have not been rated by NCTQ or, in certain circumstances, not all editions of the book have been rated. We have indicated the closest rated edition’s rating in these cases, and we have labeled unreviewed books as (not reviewed). The popularity ranking seems to be based on the number of identified courses that use a particular book out of the 1961 materials reviewed.

We are teaching young children in a moment of contradiction. Decades of literacy research demonstrate that abundant access to books is one of the strongest predictors of early reading development, vocabulary growth, and long-term academic success (Allington, 2014; Neuman & Celano, 2012). This body of research consistently shows that children who have frequent opportunities to read self-selected texts encounter more words, develop broader background knowledge, and read with greater fluency over time. In other words, access itself functions as an instructional condition, not a peripheral support.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are entering K–12 classrooms at a remarkable pace. 86% of educational organizations use generative AI, the highest of any industry in the United States (Microsoft, 2025) Yet, this high rate of adoption is not being matched by a high rate of scientific certainty. Most AI-based educational tools have not undergone independent validation, and few have been tested through rigorous methods such as randomized controlled trials. AI capabilities are advancing so rapidly that traditional research cycles struggle to keep pace, forcing educators to be very critical consumers. This brief is intended to give educators an accessible framework for introducing and evaluating artificial intelligence tools in the classroom.

Studies that highlight the impact of reading motivation offer great insight for engaging K–12 learners within literacy.