The Science of Reading in Action: Brain-Friendly Strategies Every Teacher Needs to Know

by Malia Hollowell

This is not just a book, it’s a teaching movement.

We all want to help students learn to read, but what happens when 67% of children don’t get that chance? 2022 National Report Card data shows that is the reality in the United States right now. But it does not have to be this way!

The three most common barriers to successful reading instruction are lack of research-based training, actionable tools, and support. The Science of Reading in Action gives you all three.

You

Build a rock-solid understanding of what the research does (and does not!) tell us about how students learn to read. SPOILER Instagram does not always get it right.Discover struggling readers' biggest roadblocks and learn how to quickly overcome them.Download dozens of print-and-play activities, sanity-saving cheat sheets, and classroom-tested teaching strategies that make it easy to implement brain-friendly reading instruction.Learn a surprisingly simple strategy that helps students memorize words 10X faster than flashcards.And turn worries that students are slipping through the cracks into unshakable confidence that every student is thriving.
Malia Hollowell is a National Board Certified Teacher and Stanford University graduate who coaches half a million teachers around the world to implement the science of reading in their classrooms.You want teaching reading to be easy for you AND your students.

The Science of Reading in Action is the state-of-the-art book on brain-friendly reading instruction in twenty-first century classrooms. Discover how to easily put the science of reading into action in your classroom so that you can see its phenomenal impact on student learning for yourself.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2023

Reviews

[Michelle Curry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the majority of the book but I was eager to see how the science of reading translated to supporting reading comprehension. That was all of a 3 page chapter. I understand that building better phonemic awareness would innately lead to better reading comprehension because students are able to read the words with more ease. If the student can spend less energy on what the words actually say then they will be able to focus more on digging deeper. But her advice for reading comprehension was to explicitly teach it. Yes. But how? Is science of reading not the program to assist with explicitly teaching reading comprehension?

[Fafani Weinzierl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broke down the research and explained the process behind teaching students to read. I wrote my master’s thesis in 2007 on early reading development. The research at that time was already pretty clear on the importance of phonological processing and letter-sound correlations. It’s interesting (heartbreaking?) that this was overlooked so much and we had to get to the point where state law needed to be written to require explicit phonics instruction. At the same time I wouldn’t completely discount some of the cueing systems that have been taught. I’ve referenced this book in meetings with teachers several times already.

[Lexie Hilliard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 6 chapters had a lot of good research behind teaching reading and efficient strategies to do so for your average Pre-K-1st graders. It obviously would be beneficial for any struggling reader in any grade beyond that as well. It will definitely help my lowest readers in 2nd grade. The last 4 chapters were less useful and more obvious.

[Courtney Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and very informational!

Throughout this book she gives great tips and tricks on how to implement the science of reading inside your own classroom! I really enjoyed the chapter where she discusses frequently asked questions and I also enjoyed how there where many qr codes through the book that showed examples and gave resources to the teachers! Great book and very informational!

[Bill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy Read

This was an easy read. I read it in just a few hours. There are great explanations and ideas to implement right away.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING resource for teaching the Science of Reading! I initially decided to read this for PD credits for an independent novel study course. What I learned was so many useful tools to incorporate with my students including research based practices. I loved how this book broke down the way our brains read with the 3 buckets. It also made a ton of sense why if your student does not have one of the first two buckets mastered, why comprehension is a struggle for them. I learned so many useful strategies and tools to help my students (especially my ELL students) how to reach successful reading comprehension. I am currently working on a plan to implement these strategies immediately. GREAT resource and I will be looking up the Roadmap PD that goes along with this!

[Samantha Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to read. Teachers who are new to SOR will find this informative and will help ease them into teaching it.
As for me, I already do all this. I do like the chart that explains the 7 rules of silent E though. I want that as a poster for my room.

[Janae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Malia’s online Science of Teaching reading course. Having the book to go with the corse has helped me refresh my knowledge of what to teach and how to teach students to become successful readers. Don’t hesitate, buy it!

[Nicole Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an overview of what's covered in LETRS training.

[Karan Ricci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for those struggling with at risk or low rate readers. Phonics is everything!!!

[Ryann Connolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m feeling so smart and educated

[Heather Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

GaTAPP

This was a book to my reading class. It was a great bit of good information on how students learn to read.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice overview of the science of reading. Offers some easy-implementable changes to classroom instruction.

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Hollowell's balance of research and practical strategies that you can implement at each step of learning to read.

[Alana Haggerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative and refreshing read with easily applicable actions to take with my teaching practices in my classroom.

[Debbie Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy introduction to Science of Reading and offers many practical strategies for teachers to adopt.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so good! This makes me excited to get back into the classroom this year and work on my reading small groups!

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book if you are a classroom teacher and/or new to literacy instruction aligned with the current reading research. I am a Speech-Language Pathologist who works one-on-one with literacy clients, and I was already knowledge about and implementing structured literacy instruction, so there was not much presented in this book that was new to me. However, I think it could be helpful for others, especially classroom teachers.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and detailed, expansive. Helped me understand the STR more to prepare.

[Tanya Carbajal · Rating 5 out of 5]

straightforward and helpful!

Great and easy read. Was looking for some guidance and I found it! Really gave my reading instruction a sense of direction.