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Politicians, Educators and Parents have spent the better part of two decades arguing about literacy programs: what works and what doesn't. Phonics? Standardized programs? What is real? What can we believe?

This has been a debate that has frustrated me for years. I am a secondary school teacher, and while I don't teach reading and writing directly, many of my students are handicapped due to lower reading abilities. There is no doubt that inadequate literacy effects a person their entire life. As a society, we must strive to forget high-sounding political messages and concentrate on what works.

The good news is a consistent stream of educational research results have shown, independent of any political bias, that successful literacy programs share some specific characteristics. I have seen enough solid information to convince me that a strong literacy program must:

USE PHONICS - While there is considerable debate about the true effectiveness of Phonics instruction, research doesn't lie. Every unbiased report ever written acknowledges that a literacy program using phonics is more effective than one without phonics. That said, there is also strong information that a program that ONLY uses phonics is not as effective as one that mixes phonics with some other techniques. The bottom line is good literacy programs utilize several different styles in its approach.

BE SYSTEMIC - A program that works through a coherent plan of instruction, which builds a foundation of knowledge before advancing to higher levels, is far superior to one that is haphazardly done without a thoughtful plan. This sometimes irks my fellow teachers, at the thought of "teaching a system" but organized instruction is conclusively the way to go.

BE FLEXIBLE - Despite the need for structure, the program also needs to have a high degree of adaptability for the teacher and the student. A program might be excellent for a class of 6-year-olds, but will be entirely inappropriate for under-performing teens, or functionally illiterate adults. The teacher needs to have the ability and the freedom to adapt the instruction to fit the needs, interests and abilities of her students.

USE A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH- Over and again we find that different students learn in different ways. Some learn better when they listen, some by seeing, some by doing things with their hands. The best instruction involves all of the senses in an interesting and varied process that engages all of the students.

While at times a bit contradictory, it is truly the balance of these four characteristics that make for an excellent literacy program. It must use Phonics but not exclusively. It needs to be systemic but not overly so that it takes too much flexibility away from the teacher to fit the instruction to the student. It must be multi-sensory to reach all students in an engaging and effective manner.

All political bias aside, if we want high quality literacy instruction, these types of programs are what we need to strive for.

Learn more about this author, Richard Lloyd Evans.
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