Reading Best Practices

Educational trends for readers can do one of three things.

#1) They can either be replaced, such as when implementation doesn’t go as projected.

#2) Trends can also become more permanent, which isn’t to say the practice is perfect. There is no justifiable way to lump all learners in the same category and demand they conform because it is the only way to learn. That’s not only unrealistic, but doing so would become a barrier to accessing educational content for many.

#3) Learning models can also cycle back around again. Examples of this are many. Once upon a time phonics instruction was considered best practice for emerging learners. Then, phonics fell out of favor and it was replaced by finding real life examples for students to practice their reading skills.

Recipes, news outlets, directions for a new game, fiction stories, cereal boxes, background contextual literature at museums, science labs, and historical sites, became the ideal reading material

Today’s reading science builds upon some of the earlier principles, but now more is understood. There are 5 pillars of reading instruction, and each works to build stronger readers who are engaged learners (National Reading Panel).

Vocabulary

Fluency

Comprehension

Phonics

Phonemic Awareness

ONE TREND THAT ENRICHES ALL PERSONS WHO READ:

There is one trend that’s held in high esteem since 1975.

“…Readers comprehend better when they can relate new material to what they already know.” – David Pearson

In 1975, David Pearson developed a better understanding about what makes a reading selection enjoyable for people of all ages and reading skill level. He shared his insight broadly, and it’s been well-received and applied ever since.

SAGE ADVICE:

Readers must link their prior experiences with new learning, for full effect. Remembering shared experiences can build stronger connections with the text.

In other words, writers will use many tools to help readers remember – sensory details are one of those tools.

Write in such a way that the reader is compelled to search their own memory banks and revisit past events.

EXPERIMENT: Imagine different scenarios listed below, then reflect if you’ve had a similar experience using the sense of smell.

Laundry drying on a clothesline.
Bread baking in an oven.
Turkey cooking early in the morning.
Shoes get wet when you leave for work early in the morning.
Lilacs’ scent wafts to where you wait for your ride.
Burned cookies.
Campfires.
Leaf piles burning in the fall.
A bacteria-laden gym mat you need to use for stretching exercises.
Bleachers shaking as fans stomp and cheer at a sell-out, exciting game.
The smell of coffee before you’re fully awake.
Your Dad’s aftershave.
A favorite meal simmering on the stove.
Fresh wood in new construction.
Fresh cut lawns.
Wild roses growing in a ditch.

Timeless writers knew how to evoke powerful emotions long before 1975. The human condition, though flawed oftentimes, tends to share many of the same basic experiences at some level.

Using sensory grounding details will therapeutically enhance your reader’s experience with your story in powerful ways.

I believe the phrase, ‘The power of the written word,’ means that when we make that connection with readers, we should be mindful of our words’ effects.

Our words could crush, heal, edify, entertain, enliven, misdirect, or bring expressive joy to many.

5 Sensory Grounding Strategies:

Use any combination of the five senses: Vision, Hearing, Touch, Smell, Tasting. Draw from your own experiences. Spend time volunteering with young children at play. Watch what they give their attention to. It’s almost always something with their sense. Slow down a normalized task. Take note of all the senses involved. Close your eyes in nature. Take note of your heightened sense of hearing, smelling, and touch.