Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

by Jan Burkins, Kari Yates

The current emphasis on the body of research known as the "Science of Reading" has renewed the reading wars and raised challenging questions for balanced literacy teachers about the best way to teach reading. Instead of fueling the debate, Dr. Jan Burkins and Kari Yates have immersed themselves in the research and produced Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom.

This concise and practical guide integrates effective reading strategies from each perspective. Every chapter of Shifting the Balance focuses on one of the six simple and scientifically sound shifts reading teachers can make to strengthen their approach to early reading instruction in these areas: Practical Instruction for Primary Grades: Whether your students are just learning to read or building more advanced reading comprehensive skills, Shifting the Balance is designed to help teachers meet the instructional needs of K-2 students.

Six Manageable Shifts: Each chapter focuses on a key shift that helps educators understand common misconceptions and adjust their thinking around some common instructional practices that teachers have been using for decades.

Evidence-Based Instruction: Burkins and Yates offer busy educators a blueprint for integrating finding from brain research, cognitive science, and child development into their daily instruction, while keeping meaningful experiences with books a priority.

Classroom Applications: Shifting the Balance is full of sample activities and classroom vignettes that paint a picture of what these shifts look like in action with roomful of learners.

The book has already helped countless educators by taking the guesswork out of how to blend best practices with the latest research while keeping students at the forefront of reading instruction. "We've written this book to support you in making sound decisions anchored in the best of science, the truth of responsiveness, and a relentless focus on providing all children learning experiences saturated with meaning, " the authors write.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Nonfiction, School, Science, Adult

203 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2021

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My school district is currently transitioning from Balanced Literacy to The Science of Reading. It has been a hard transition as many of the teachers and admin have been trained completely in Balanced Literacy and find a lot of value in it. This book was so respectful towards teachers whose background is Balanced Literacy! There was no shaming or passive-aggressive commentary. Instead, the authors took real-life scenarios in a Balanced Literacy classroom and highlighted manageable and fairly simple changes that could be made to shift to a Science of Reading classroom. Ultimately, all teachers want to do what's best for their students and I feel like this book really honored that. It was an easy read that was well-researched and gave lots of great ideas and information!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the "reading wars" debate is revving up again, this book was perfect timing. I wouldn't say I learned anything especially earthshattering. However, I found that what I am already doing and have been doing in my classroom does fit with research and also allows students to build an authentic enjoyment of reading. There's a lot of misinformation out there (and I'm sure a lot of bad practice), so it's nice to see an actual balanced approach. This book did help me refine a few things I do with phonics and beginning readers, which I'm excited to use.

[Leigh Martella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, this book seems like it was written by balanced literacy apologists and there are several red flags that show a lack of understanding of the science of reading and literacy in general.

I do take some issue with some of their word choice, and there are some misrepresentations, like with the role phonological lexicons and orthographic processors play, the assertion that phonemes are meaningless. They also get some syllabification wrong by conflating spoken and written syllabification.

The biggest red flag is Shift 5, which is all about how to use the three-cueing system and how the three-cueing system aligns with the Simple View of Reading. There's even a graphic wherein they visually equate the three-cueing system to the SVR.

I could see this book being a good avenue for some teachers to access theoretical models and parts of the SoR, because it appeals to people who feel emotional or upset by the "SoR bullies" (not their term, but they might as well have said it). It also will appeal to people who still use the three-cueing system and uphold its efficacy.

However, there is nothing in this book that isn't covered better by other people in a better way.

[Elaine Harpine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm very troubled by this book. It talks about the "science of reading" and does mention a few good "true" scientific principles in reading: neural pathways in the brain, oral language system, using background knowledge in comprehension, orthographic processing.... Then, when the authors talk about how to bring about this "shift" in how we teach reading, they revert back to old methods that have been proven by scientific research not to work: cueing, high frequency word lists, and even phonics. Phonics supporters have for years stated that phonics will not work with struggling at-risk students. As far back as 2001, Linnea C. Ehri stated from her research that phonics “… did not help low achieving readers….” According to the Nation's Report Card, over 60% of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders in the U.S. cannot read at grade level. These are low achieving readers. I find this book very disappointing, and I cannot recommend it. The outdated, unworkable methods that these authors are describing will not cure our reading failure problem.

[Ashley Gustafson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the writing of this book, I don’t feel like I actually learned anything new from it. I feel like it was mostly things I already do in what I thought was a “balanced literacy” classroom. Maybe I was more “science of reading” without knowing it?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best texts I've read on incorporating the science of reading into the classroom with balance, purpose, and authenticity. The book is well-organized and easily accessible. Information is presented in easily digestible chunks with many helpful examples. If you have multiple books on this topic sitting on your "to-read" shelf, reach for this one first!

[Zoey Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excited to use the Science of Reading with my young struggling readers!

[Jonathan Peto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am skeptical of the “science of reading”. The so-called reading wars often seem to be much ado about nothing as far as I am concerned. I also hate the phrase the “science of reading”, because it seems to be an attempt to gain unearned authority. Someone needs to convince me that the “science of reading” is actually sharing something new. And for the most part, Shifting the Balance did not convince me that the “science of reading” is anything new.

So why did I rate it 5 stars?

Well, I attended a teacher led workshop about the "science of reading" one time. It may not have presented the “science of reading” accurately, or maybe it presented one way the “science of reading” is being rolled out. I don’t know. But the workshop reminded me of the tediously choreographed reading programs forced on various schools in the US at one time.

Luckily, that does not describe Shifting the Balance.

One reason I probably enjoyed this book is that my practice when I taught the early grades and “the ways to bring the science of reading into the balanced literary classroom” that are described here are not very different. Apparently, there are teachers and/or school districts that swung too far in one direction. I suspect there are teachers and/or school districts that will now swing too far in a so-called “science of reading” direction, but apparently my instincts as a teacher were to emphasize elements from both sides of the so-called reading wars - I guess?

Anyway, this book is clearly organized and simple to understand. Chapters focus on shifts of emphasis teachers can make and why and include misunderstandings that are apparently common or somewhat common. I enjoyed reading about them. Some sorta applied to me but in general I felt like I was already on board.

After explaining the shift, each chapter lists instructional routines to consider. Even though my practice mostly aligned theoretically, this book is helpful. It contains many ideas/reminders for refining and improving what I already do or want to do, or used to, as I am not currently a classroom teacher.

Again, I was familiar with most of the ideas here. But maybe all certification programs are not created equally? Maybe some school systems inhibit teacher agency and growth by forcing them to teach highly choreographed reading programs that prevent them from making decisions about what the students in front of them need…?

Anyway, I believe a lot of already thoughtful and reflective teachers would find Shifting the Balance very useful. If a teacher isn’t conversant with the ideas here, I believe it would be an urgent goal.

I hope to read the version for upper elementary grades too.

[Gretchen Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straightforward, easy to apply adjustments to current practices in a classroom to improve outcomes for readers. If you feel like you aren’t seeing results and not sure what to do, this is a great starting point. Shifts include practices that can be implemented outside of a full curriculum resource adoption and are versatile to use throughout the day. Also a great read for people who find themselves homeschooling or wanting to add literacy instruction support at home for young readers.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you wondering what is going on with the "science of reading" controversy and how that should impact your teaching of young readers? This is a nuanced look at how 6 shifts (not throwing everything out the window and starting over) can smooth the way for all students to master early reading skills. The website has great support as well.

Not an elementary teacher myself, I read this book in order to support an elementary teacher, but at the same time, I found it fascinating as I have grandchildren in all the beginning stages of reading. It was fascinating to come to understand what is going on in their brains and to be able to support them in it.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

a coworker let me borrow this - it not only explains a strategic & scientific approach to literacy, but also gives many great resources for implementing science-based teaching in classrooms that are low-prep and meaningful. so excited to incorporate what i’ve learned, and recommend all educators take a deep dive with this text.

[Jess Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re an educator in the throws of the Science of Reading transition (and maybe struggling with it?), this is a great read for understanding without judgement. Relatable to every day teacher challenges & clearly written - great research & best practices! you’ll fly through it!

[Elizabeth Hassinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ardent believer that the reading war is stupid and actually keeps us from what kids need, this book bridges long held teaching "beliefs" and how to work in conjunction with researched practices. Every learning is going to be different and I believe as a teacher of reading what is important is how I respond to the learners needs rather than a singular way of teaching. This book helped me hold up my beliefs, but also how I could improve upon my instruction.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Explains, clarifies, and suggests!

[Nicole Bannasch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read through misconceptions and reading practices. lots of great things you can start immediately with your students.

[Holly Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great educational read to use ideas from in my classroom.

[Abby Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for my grad school class and let me just say it’s worth the read if you’re a teacher! The science of reading is so interesting!

[Jill Culmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This professional book has impacted my practice more than any other in the year 2021. I constantly refer back to it.

[Lori Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a K-3 teacher teaching reading, I highly recommend this book!

[Bridget Schmidtke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just what this teacher needed this summer. This book addresses common misunderstandings that I found myself questioning over the last few years. Teaching reading is hard!! This book equipped me with tools I’m excited to put into practice.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I read this book as part of a non-mandatory book club with like minded colleagues. We were interested in learning more about the science behind reading instruction to enhance our own teaching practice. I appreciated how the authors met teachers where they were on their reading instructional journey without judgement. The book included practical suggestions, tables and examples. Most of the information wasn't new but what good teachers do already when teaching reading and I thought the book would be more helpful for the earliest grades.

[Dee Toler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, practical strategies for teachers beginning their journey through the science of reading

[Sophia Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and found it so helpful! A must read for k-2 teachers and reading specialists alike.

[Katherine Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to get you started in your Science of Reading journey. The authors struck the right balance between adding research yet still making this book accessible to all knowledge levels of teachers of reading.

[Linda Denness-Arvizu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I applaud Burkins and Yates for taking on the challenge to bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy classroom. The references bring to light the work the authors put into deepening their own understanding of the Science of Reading.

The organization of the book draws teachers in and allows us to see both misconceptions and what we can do about them. This would make an outstanding book study for kindergarten and first grade teachers.

As a literacy leader, I can’t wait to share what I have learned with teachers.

[Lorie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was already on a journey of learning about structured literacy and the science of reading, but I was hopeful this book would confirm previous learning and be a resource I could recommend to colleagues and friends looking to begin their journey - however I was disappointed, particularly in the last 3 “shifts”. I found this resource to be more about making balanced literacy practices fit into structured literacy, which wasn’t what I was expecting.

[Carpetbhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shifting the Balance 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom
by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates:
a Critical Review by Miriam P. Trehearne

Having written six successful literacy focused professional books for teachers, having been a classroom teacher, an Early Childhood and Early Literacy Specialist, Program Specialist (exceptional needs students) Literacy Coach, and University Associate and having worked with teachers and administrators around the world, I am aware of the politics and the challenges involving the “reading wars”. They are numerous. Pendulum swings often disenfranchise teachers, students, and parents. Many experienced teachers suffer as they continue to live through pendulum swings (e.g. whole language versus phonics, as if the two are, or ever were, mutually exclusive). Defining balanced literacy can be challenging. However, it is important to this book, the title of which states 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom. The authors do not define this key term and instead state: “A common definition of balanced literacy is difficult to pin down” and that “balanced literacy plays out differently from school to school and classroom to classroom.” This is not good enough. Its centrality requires a definition. Not withstanding the importance of defining terms or at least stipulating them, this review will focus on one very key area which was omitted and provide the research-base behind it.

Burkins and Yates did not include writing when discussing the Balanced Literacy Classroom. This is a serious omission. The research described by Bill Teale in his article “The Curriculum Gap Ensures a Continuing Achievement Gap” (2007) is important. This research indicates that writing is one of three key areas often neglected in early literacy classrooms. This curriculum gap means that many young children are being shortchanged and will suffer the consequences in later grades (Teale, 2014).

In her landmark research, Dolores Durkin (1966) discovered that the parents and caregivers of children who had learned to read before coming to kindergarten had read with their children. However, they did more than this. They gave their children many writing opportunities. It became clear that early readers generally are very interested in writing, and many write long before they read. Writing often provides a foundation for reading.

In a study of beginning literacy learning, kindergarteners’ writing behaviors were found to be predictive of subsequent (Grade 1) reading achievement, even after controlling for the effects of IQ (Shatil, Share and Levin, 2000).

A complex theory of literacy learning acknowledges that writers have to know how to do certain things that overlap with things that readers have to know or do. The two processes are concurrent sources of learning and contribute to each other in early literacy learning. Reading and writing are reciprocal and interrelated processes (Marie Clay 2001).

Canadian researchers, Harrison, Ogle, McIntyre, and Hellsten (2008), reviewed K–3 studies on early writing conducted in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The findings, published in a paper titled “The Influence of Early Writing Instruction on Developing Literacy,” indicated that early writing
■ Supports the development of phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, and phonics
■ Enhances early reading (word identification, decoding, passage comprehension, and word reading) and often precedes early reading.

The quality of writing support for 4-year-olds is highly related to their language and literacy growth at the end of Kindergarten and Grade 1 (Dickinson and Sprague 2001). Writing is an activity that promotes alphabet letter knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, concepts of print, including the fact that the end of a line is not always the end of a thought (Snow, Burns, and Griffin 1998). So, writing (including drawing) helps children to make sense of their world.

And finally, the evidence from a meta-analysis shows that having students in Grades 2-12 write about material they have read, enhances their comprehension of it. This was true for students in general and students who were weaker readers and writers, in particular (Graham and Hebert, 2011).

“Learning to write assists children in their reading; in learning to read, children also gain insights that help them as writers. But writing is more than an aid to learning to read; it is an important curricular goal. Through writing children express themselves, clarify their thinking, communicate ideas, and integrate new information into their knowledge base.”
—Every Child a Reader, CIERA 1

And Dr. Tim Shanahan (2017) sums it up with:
Reading-writing relations start when reading and writing start. Many folks delay writing until a solid reading base is established. Research doesn’t support that: kids are able to draw reading benefits from the beginning. When young children first try to write, they have to think hard about print concepts. When young children first try to spell, they have to think hard about phonemic awareness.

The impact of writing on reading must be considered part of any acceptable definition of science of reading instruction (Shanahan 2020). So, how can writing be eliminated from the Balanced Literacy Classroom when shifting the balance? Clearly the instructional practices identified by Burkins and Yates are too narrow and not complete.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new look at phonics and reading for all K-2 teachers. I have been teaching 15 years and this was an eye opening read. Debating where to start incorporating my new knowledge this next school year. This would be a fantastic pre-teacher read as well.

[Melissa Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A common sense approach to truly balanced classroom instruction around reading. No sides, opponents, or adversaries- just a focus on sound instructional practices to teach our kids to read. We need more of this and less fighting.

[Tia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I thought

Disappointed. If getting your money back for books was a thing I would be first in line. Don't waste time.