Science of Reading and Learning Science
Understanding how children learn changes everything. The Science of Reading and broader learning science give us a research-based picture of how the brain develops, how children acquire skills, why some students struggle, and what instructional approaches make the biggest difference. Explore our articles to dig into the evidence.
What Children Need to Know Before They Can Read
Print awareness — knowing that text moves left to right, that spaces mark word boundaries, that the spoken word "cat" matches the printed letters c-a-t — develops so naturally in children who are read to that most adults forget it was ever learned. Research identifies it as a foundational predictor of reading success, and children who arrive at school without it face instruction built on a starting point they haven't reached. Every other pillar of reading depends on this one coming first.