Preparing Teachers for Literacy Instruction: A Solution to the Current Literacy Crisis

In today’s literacy-driven world, we must equip teachers with the knowledge and resources they need to implement effective literacy instruction. Professional development can make a quantifiable difference in the knowledge, confidence, and success of educators and, ultimately, in the reading proficiency of their students.

The Literacy Crisis

Reading proficiency is a critical skill for success in the classroom and beyond. However, the U.S. is currently in the midst of a literacy crisis. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that less than 1/3 of students are performing at or above reading proficiency levels (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). This alarming statistic highlights a significant gap in students' ability to decode and comprehend text—skills fundamental to academic success (Makebo et al., 2022), public health outcomes (Coughlin et al., 2020), and participation in society (Mather & Schneider, 2023).

To address this gap, it is essential that educators are well-equipped to implement research-based literacy instruction. Teachers’ knowledge and confidence in providing effective literacy instruction are key to improving student outcomes. Professional development plays a crucial role in equipping teachers to improve student literacy, yet many teachers feel ill-prepared to provide effective reading instruction to students.

The Science of Reading, Orton-Gillingham, and Structured Literacy

The science of reading is a vast body of research surrounding how children learn to read (Williams, 2023). Although the science of reading does not specifically outline what skills must be taught, it does indicate that a phonics approach is necessary (Kim & Snow, 2021).

Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach that is rooted in the science of reading. It focuses on explicit, systematic, multisensory phonics instruction. The Orton-Gillingham approach is particularly beneficial for students with dyslexia but is suitable for all readers, as it helps them make connections between letters and sounds using visual, auditory, and tactile-kinesthetic methods.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a structured literacy instructional approach. Structured literacy refers to an explicit, systematic approach to teaching reading that emphasizes the development of foundational literacy skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This method has been shown to significantly improve reading outcomes for students, especially for those at risk of reading failure (Spear-Swerling, 2019).

The Importance of Teacher Training

Brainspring offers accredited Orton-Gillingham structured literacy professional development. Professional development for teachers is one of the principal factors linked to improving the quality of classroom instruction (Hudson et al., 2023). In a 2025 study, pre- and post-course surveys were collected from 1,063 K-12 educators and school administrators who participated in a Brainspring professional development course. Survey respondents were asked to rate their knowledge of structured literacy, their confidence in implementing literacy instruction, and their preparedness to teach essential reading skills. The results of the study show a notable improvement in both teacher knowledge and confidence in implementing structured literacy practices after completing a Brainspring professional development course.

Preparation to Teach Literacy Skills

Before taking a Brainspring course, 47.6% of educators reported little to no knowledge of Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy instruction, while only 13.1% had strong or expert-level knowledge. After completing the course, the number of educators reporting limited or no knowledge dropped to just 5%, and the number reporting strong or expert-level knowledge increased to 76%. 

When asked about their initial teacher preparation program, 61% of respondents reported feeling underprepared to teach reading effectively. After completing Brainspring’s professional development course, 94% of educators felt well or extremely well-prepared to teach literacy.

Confidence Implementing Key Literacy Practices

Teachers' confidence levels were also surveyed regarding critical components of structured literacy lessons, including phonological awareness, multisensory phonics instruction, and oral reading activities.

• Phonological Awareness: Phonological awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate parts of the spoken language (Mesmer & Kambach, 2022). A sub-component of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness plays a critical role in the learning-to-read process (National Reading Panel, 2000). 

Before the course, 60% of participants reported feeling not at all or only somewhat confident in teaching phonological awareness. After completing a Brainspring professional development course, this figure dropped to just 8%, with 92% of survey respondents expressing confidence or extreme confidence in their ability to implement phonological awareness activities.

• Multisensory Phonics Instruction: Prior to the course, 78% of teachers were not confident in using multisensory methods to teach phonics. After the course, this number dropped dramatically to just 8%, with 92% of respondents expressing confidence or extreme confidence in implementing multisensory phonics instruction.

• Oral Reading Activities: Almost 63% of teachers initially reported a lack of confidence in conducting oral reading activities with their students. By the end of the course, this number fell to just 11%, with 89% feeling confident or extremely confident.

Ending the Literacy Crisis

The importance of high-quality professional development in improving teacher effectiveness, particularly in literacy instruction, cannot be underestimated. Educators who are equipped with the tools and knowledge to teach using research-based methods, such as Orton-Gillingham multisensory structured literacy, feel better prepared and more confident in their ability to teach reading effectively. When teachers feel confident, they are more likely to deliver instruction that is engaging, effective, and improves student outcomes.

Over 95% of children can learn to read (Snow, 2021). To better reach all students, we must equip teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to address the literacy crisis. Professional development courses can have a profound impact on teacher preparedness and confidence in literacy instruction. Investing in high-quality professional development for teachers is a crucial step toward improving literacy rates and ensuring that all students acquire the skills necessary to succeed academically and in life.

References

Coughlin, S. S., Vernon, M., Hatzigeorgiou, C., & George, V. (2020). Health literacy, social determinants of health, and disease prevention and control. Journal of Environment and Health Sciences, 6(1), 3061. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7889072/  

Hudson, A. K., Lambright, K., Zhang, S., Wijekumar, K., Owens, J., & McKeown, D. (2023). Professional development in a pandemic: Transforming teacher knowledge of reading comprehension instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 71(5), 1965–1991. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-023-10267-4  

Kim, Y. S., & Snow, C. (2021). The science of reading is incomplete without the science of teaching reading. The Reading League Journal, 2(3), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2024.2380272

Makebo, T. H., Bachore, M. M., & Ayele, Z. A. (2022). Investigating the correlation between students’ reading fluency and comprehension. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 13(2), 229–242. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1302.02  

Mather, N., & Schneider, D. (2023). The use of cognitive tests in the assessment of dyslexia. Journal of Intelligence, 11(5), Article 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11050079 

Mesmer, H. A., & Kambach, A. (2022). Beyond labels and agendas: Research teachers need to know about phonics and phonological awareness. Reading Teacher, 76(1), 62–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2102 

National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Nation’s report card: 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress reading assessment. National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Science, U.S. Department of Education. 

National Reading Panel (U.S.) & National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U.S.). (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/smallbook 

Snow, P. C. (2021). SOLAR: The Science of Language and Reading. Child Language Teaching & Therapy, 37(3), 222–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265659020947817

Spear-Swerling, L. (2019, January 1). Structured literacy and typical literacy practices: Understanding differences to create instructional opportunities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 51(3), 201–211. https://doi.org.10.1177/0040059917750160 

Williams, J. (2023). The “Reading Wars” are back: What are the implications for adolescent literacy? Michigan Reading Journal, 56(1), 64–68. https://research.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/pdf/ncnbiv34ar