Reading comprehension and literacy development

Scripted Reading

Holcomb, Sabrina. "What's All the Fuss About?"

Holcomb's article looks at the issue of scripted reading instruction. Scripted reading programs are highly directive, telling the teachers in great detail exactly what to teach and even what to say while instructing the students. Scripted reading instruction has become more prominent since the passage of the "No Child Left Behind" law (NCLB). The publishers of these programs have made great effort to base the programs on "best practices," or reading instructional techniques proven in research to teach students well.

In the article, the author talks about two different schools, one in LIttle Rock, Arkansas, and one in Los Angeles, and their differing opinions. In LIttle Rock, the teachers have found their scripted program highly effective, and the students have made great gains. The Arkansas teachers were fully included in decision-making regarding the program. In Los Angeles, the program was forced on teacher, who resented their lack of control over how they taught. In addition, Los Angeles teachers of bilingual students say that while the program has been translated into Spanish, the translation is literal and word for word, resulting in a Spanish version that actually uses incorrect syntax. Proponents of the approach point to the heavy and very systematic phonic instructions, while critics say the stories lack depth and interest and will result in students who can sound out the words but not comprehend at higher levels because they haven't been exposed to good children's literature.