By Olivia Demarest, Second Grade Teacher
Many secondary and upper elementary ELA teachers were not trained in phonics instruction and may have assumed it was not relevant. But the Science of Reading shows that decoding matters well beyond first grade—especially for striving readers.
At my school, three years ago, there was no consistent phonics instruction across the elementary grades. Reading Horizons was supposed to be used, but some teachers chose to do their own thing, resulting in inconsistent instruction and confusion about what students were learning. When the school transitioned to requiring the use of Reading Horizons, everything changed for students. They began reaching grade-level reading benchmarks, and teachers were able to use the program to identify gaps in students’ phonics instruction.
Working closely with the upper elementary grades, it became clear that many students had holes in their foundational knowledge and needed support in areas they had never been taught. If upper elementary teachers lacked an understanding of phonics, those gaps could not be addressed, and students would continue to struggle with reading deficits.
Having a consistent program also helps teachers use the same language across grade levels. As students get older, teachers can reference familiar terms and point out skills that need review, helping students continue to decode unfamiliar words.
Cueing Strategies (Like “Guessing from Pictures”) Can Do More Harm Than Good
Three-cueing was widely taught, but research now shows it encourages habits that undermine true reading development. Many teachers wish they’d known sooner that students need to rely on decoding, not guessing.
Real-world example:
When I taught third grade, many students were transitioning to books with far fewer pictures than they were used to. If students are solely dependent on pictures, they struggle when they begin encountering more multisyllabic words, as the images no longer provide clues to help them read.
I have seen this firsthand while teaching phonics to struggling students. When students were told to just “look at the pictures,” they weren’t focusing on any part of decoding the word, or even attempting to. This often resulted in students guessing the word based on the first sound and not looking all the way through to figure out what the word actually was. When they came to pages with no pictures or only a few, some students wouldn’t even try to read the words.
Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Are Just as Critical as Phonics
The Science of Reading isn’t just about phonics. Building content knowledge and rich vocabulary through read-alouds, discussions, and complex texts is key to comprehension.
Real-world example:
Through LETRS training (and comparing it to Reading Horizons), when we discussed the science of reading and how important each strand is in helping students learn to read, it became very clear that without background knowledge, comprehension may not be possible. Teaching in a Title I school district, this was an eye-opening realization. It helped explain why some students lacked understanding of concepts that might typically be assumed.
Understanding the importance of background knowledge taught me to never assume a student already knows something. When you shift that mindset and focus more on explanation, providing students with the vocabulary and background knowledge they need, the language comprehension strand can grow stronger. This, in turn, can help students move toward becoming skilled readers.
Fluency and Automaticity Take Intentional, Systematic Practice
Fluency doesn’t just happen with time or exposure—it comes from structured, repeated practice with decodable texts that match the skills students are learning. Many teachers wish they’d known how to scaffold fluency earlier.
Real-world example:
I’ve learned that fluency and automaticity depend on the individual student and where they are in their learning. I wish I had known sooner how important it is for students to see decodable texts that include the specific phonics skill they are working on. For a skill to become automatic, students need repeated exposure.
Some students can see a skill a few times and grasp it without much practice. Others need to encounter it many, many times before they can recognize it outside of a structured lesson. When students read decodable texts that match the skills they’re learning, they get to see the skill in action and practice identifying it as they read. Over time, this helps them recognize the skill in other reading contexts and, eventually, read it fluently.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn—and Adjust Instruction
One of the most encouraging realizations? You don’t have to be a literacy expert to start shifting your practice. Teachers often say they wish they’d known that even small, research-aligned changes can make a big impact for students.
Real-world example:
I have made many adjustments to my phonics instruction over the years as I continue to learn and grow. Small changes can be extremely helpful and beneficial for students who need additional support. Even the addition of decodable texts for students working on fluency can make a huge difference. Another small change I’ve made is incorporating the transfer part of phonics lessons. I didn’t initially see the importance of transfer or why students needed practice with it. Making this small change helped me better understand that students need real-world experience with the skills they are learning. It allows them to make connections, which supports their long-term retention. The consistent language and structure of lessons can help students feel comfortable and deepen their understanding of phonics. Adapting my phonics instruction with Reading Horizons to better meet the needs of all my students has significantly enhanced their learning and reading achievement.
