{"id":97963,"date":"2025-03-28T08:41:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T12:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ced.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=97963"},"modified":"2025-03-28T08:41:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T12:41:19","slug":"how-can-teachers-implement-effective-literacy-instruction-the-key-is-to-know-which-strategies-are-actually-based-on-research-says-goodnight-distinguished-professor-in-early-literac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ced.ncsu.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/28\/how-can-teachers-implement-effective-literacy-instruction-the-key-is-to-know-which-strategies-are-actually-based-on-research-says-goodnight-distinguished-professor-in-early-literac\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can Teachers Implement Effective Literacy Instruction? \u2018The Key is to Know Which Strategies Are Actually Based on Research,\u2019 Says Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy Devin Kearns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

When Devin Kearns<\/a>, the NC State College of Education Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy, began his career as a third-grade teacher, he realized that he was not adequately prepared with the skills he needed to help his students in reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his own journey to improve his skills, Kearns learned about the science that explains why reading works and that the key to effective literacy instruction lies both in knowing which teaching strategies are research-based and when you, as a teacher, are actually prepared to implement new strategies in the classroom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the key is to know which strategies are actually based on research and which ones  people tell you are a good idea\u2014but aren\u2019t. That\u2019s a really hard thing to do as a teacher,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it’s important to be cautious and thoughtful when you learn a new strategy or technique. Don’t just try things right away without being fully prepared. Many teachers make that mistake\u2014including me when I was a new teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kearns\u2014who studies how students in elementary grades learn to read and designs instructional programs to better meet the needs of these students\u2014shares some tips and resources for educators below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategies for Effective Literacy Instruction For\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Phonological Awareness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Successful literacy instruction combines a balance of word recognition as well as phonological awareness, or the ability to detect and manipulate sound units within words. Kearns said he has conducted professional development for many teachers who did not feel prepared to teach students how to break words into sound parts or spent the wrong amount of time; five minutes a day in kindergarten and first grade\u2014focused on identifying, segmenting, and blending sounds in spoken words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the following video, Kearns demonstrates examples of how to use these strategies with students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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