The Indiana University Southeast School of Education, in collaboration with peers across Indiana University (IU), is working alongside the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to improve literacy in P-12 schools. In 2023, Lilly Endowment Inc. launched Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana, providing support to 28 colleges and universities, including IU. Through this program, five resident and six adjunct IU Southeast faculty were trained this year in the Science of Reading. The training strengthened the knowledge faculty needed to teach all the components of beginning reading instruction.
The Science of Reading (SoR) is not a curriculum, program, or a single component of literacy instruction such as phonics. It is research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read. Dr. Jacque Singleton, Associate Professor in Reading Education, takes the lead on updating the Elementary Education program’s reading curriculum to meet the SoR requirements. This initiative is in accordance with Indiana House Bill 1558, which stipulates that accredited teacher preparation programs should use curriculum or content that instructs teacher candidates on the science of reading.
“Our revised curriculum will help our candidates develop the background knowledge in the science of reading needed to teach all the components of beginning reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. They will apply knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices with an emphasis on systematic and explicit instruction for teaching foundational reading skills aligned with the science of reading. Furthermore, they will develop and apply knowledge of essential reading assessments to guide instructional decisions,” she added.
Beginning this semester, the Elementary Education program will be preparing candidates to obtain their teacher licensure in literacy, along with their elementary generalist license (k-5), early childhood license (pk-3), and special education (mild and intense disabilities). All aspiring teachers need to demonstrate proficiency in scientifically-based reading instruction skills aligned to the SoR on a written examination, Indiana Teacher Licensure Examination Praxis 5205.
IU Southeast School of Education program completers in Spring and Summer completed a SoR course through Keys of Literacy online training modules. Between April and December 2024, Indiana University pre-service educators participated in a hybrid-online course titled Keys to Beginning Reading. Participants spend approximately 36 hours completing modules in an asynchronous online course and attend three, 45-minute, virtual-live meetings facilitated by a Keys to Literacy trainer. Participants access the self-paced online course content via readings, videos, quizzes, and reflection activities. They share some of their reflection activities during the virtual-live facilitated meeting.
“As a regional public comprehensive university, our mission is to serve the needs of our local region first and foremost,” said Michelle Williams, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “This means developing and supporting the people of this community in terms of workforce, cultural, civic and overall needs. We face a critical shortage of qualified teachers locally and nationally and the School of Education at Indiana University Southeast remains committed to placing well-trained teachers who are equipped with the latest pedagogical techniques into our schools. Our faculty have prepared for Science of Reading implementation and will continue to cultivate this approach in our future teachers.”
For more information regarding questions about the School of Education’s undergraduate or graduate reading programs, contact Dr. Singleton at jwrigh06@iu.edu.
