The Science of Language and Reading - An Introduction

Topics covered include:  

• The oral language foundations of learning to read.
• The Simple View of Reading.
• Basic linguistics for reading instruction.
• Phonics instruction.

About the La Trobe Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab 

The SOLAR Lab was established in the School of Education at La Trobe University in 2020 to promote the scientific study of the role of oral language skills in the emergence and consolidation of reading skills across the school years (pre-school to secondary). We use the term “reading” to specifically identify core skills in text decoding and language comprehension that also promote success in writing and spelling. 
 
Research carried out in the SOLAR Lab emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, teachers and allied health professionals such as speech-language pathologists and psychologists, with a view to promoting efficient translation of new knowledge into classroom practice and encouraging the cessation of practices for which the empirical evidence-base is weak or non-existent.

• How oral language forms the foundations for a) learning to read and for b) reading comprehension. 
• The Simple View of Reading and how it informs and supports classroom practice with respect to decoding and language comprehension across the school years. 
• How to define key linguistic concepts relevant to reading instruction and support and explain their significance in the context of classroom and clinical practice.
• How to define morphology and etymology and explore their importance to reading, spelling and writing instruction. 
• How to define, phonics instruction, and to explore instructional practices that are supported by empirical evidence.