A2i's core utility is built on 13 years of collaboration and research. This work and the resulting findings guide everything Learning Ovations does. At Learning Ovations, we center our work upon the three main areas of The Science of Reading; individualization, explicit and systematic instruction, and small group instruction.
The first component of the Science of Reading is individualization. Better learning can occur when student instruction is tailored to their individual characteristics. Applying this knowledge in practice requires understanding where each student is at, what they need, and what will work best for reaching these outcomes. With the help of the A2i Professional Support System, student needs are identified and individualized lesson planning is made possible through simple and easy to understand assessments and research-driven recommendations.
The second component of the Science of Reading is explicit, systematic phonics instruction. Students learn best when they are taught letter-sound relationships in a logical and clearly defined sequence. This is because reading rarely comes naturally. As rigorous scientific research has concluded, reading, unlike spoken language, can’t be learned through exposure alone. Phonetic instruction works to break literacy down into systems that can be more universally understood by all learners, helping bridge the equity gap and bolster outcomes.
The final Science of Reading component is the importance of teaching reading in small groups. This builds off of the idea of differentiation. Following the same logic that every student is unique and needs tailored instruction that accounts for this, the best way to then deliver this is often through small group instruction. This isn’t to say that literacy instruction should always be taught in small groups, in fact research suggests that a blend of both is best. The hard part is finding the sweet spot, or at least without the right support.
A2i acknowledges and actively utilizes all three of these critical reading science pieces, transforming research to practice that helps teachers teach.