In a recent article from SmartBrief, educators reflected on what kind of instruction makes students into good, confident, and independent readers. In Grades 1-3, students learn how to read. As they move into the higher elementary grades, they transition into reading to learn, moving from mastering foundational decoding skills to applying literacy across different subject areas. Unfortunately, in many cases, it’s the point at which many students fall behind.
The authors stress that fluent, independent readers don’t happen by chance. They are nurtured through aligned systems, explicit instruction, sustained professional learning, and ample time for practice.[1]
Making the move to reading to learn
Once students become fluent in foundational skills, the instructional focus needs to shift toward deepening comprehension and building knowledge. Phonemic awareness and phonics remain essential components of literacy instruction, but teachers need to increasingly emphasize academic vocabulary, morphology, and content that intersects across subjects such as science, social studies, and the arts. They can’t assume that once students improve their decoding skills, language and understanding will naturally follow.
This means literacy instruction needs to remain both explicit and structured — as well as deeply engaging. Students need frequent opportunities to apply the skills they learn, analyze increasingly complex texts, and experience success as readers and thinkers. Their confidence grows through educational routines that balance rigor with relevance.
The need for practice
One of the most important needs in literacy instruction is providing enough practice to become fluent at the task. Too often, instruction moves quickly from “I do” to “you do” without sufficient guided practice in between. The “we do” phase is where mastery develops, and students should demonstrate 80-85% mastery before moving toward independent work.[1]
Unfortunately, this critical practice window is often truncated by pacing guides and assessment timelines. Under pressure to achieve certain benchmarks, teachers may shift too quickly from the foundational reading skills to demonstrating comprehension. But, if they lack daily opportunities to read and write with purpose, students can’t build the independence necessary for deeper learning. Practice isn’t an optional task — it’s the foundation of proficiency.
Teacher efficacy
The success of any reading program depends on the teacher’s knowledge, confidence, and commitment, and those who understand how reading develops are better able to integrate foundational skills with comprehension.
To achieve that level of proficiency, teachers require robust professional learning. One-time workshops aren’t enough. Coaching and job-embedded professional development offer the type of feedback and modeling teachers need to refine how they approach instruction. In addition, leaders need to understand evidence-based literacy to recognize how instruction can be productive and provide the necessary aligned support. When principals and administrators share a common vision for literacy with teachers and collaborate with them, teachers feel empowered, and both they and their students benefit.
Strong instruction thrives within systems that are coherent and messaging is consistent. Building coherence where teachers, coaches, and leaders share common goals fosters clarity and sustainability.
Effective literacy systems depend on teachers, coaches, and administrators all working together. School districts can sustain progress by forming literacy leadership teams at the grade, building, and district levels that regularly analyze evidence-based data, align curriculum, and plan professional learning. Expertise then extends beyond any one person or position and fosters a community invested in student progress.
The literacy culture
Achieving literacy for all students requires a cultural shift, with reading a shared responsibility across all disciplines. Elementary teachers lay the foundation of the process, but every educator who comes after them reinforces it. When literacy becomes central to a school’s mission, everything else follows.
A literacy culture grows from belief and evidence – the belief that all children can learn to read proficiently and the commitment to employing evidence-based practices that make it possible. It flourishes through collaboration, deliberate practice, and the willingness to let go of ineffective methods in favor of what works. This gives every child the opportunity to become the confident, independent reader they should learn to be.
Citation:
[1] Schopf, Jeanne; Bohm, Lindsay; and Lukasik, Frank. (March 12, 2026). “Tips for building confident, independent readers.” SmartBrief. Retrieved from https://www.smartbrief.com/original/tips-for-building-confident-independent-readers.
