What is the Science of Reading?

The Science of Reading is a body of research from cognitive science, linguistics, psychology, and education that explains how children learn to read. It shows that reading is not a natural process, it must be explicitly taught by building skills that develop language, decoding, fluency, and comprehension in a systematic way. Instruction based on the Science of Reading focusing on the major areas of reading development, also known as the "Big 6":

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​​How I-CRT Strengthens the Science of Reading

I-CRT doesn’t replace the Science of Reading—it enhances it. By integrating culturally responsive practices and student-centered thinking routines, I-CRT helps children connect deeply to literacy through relevance, identity, and purpose. Here's how the Big 6 Literacy Skills are supported within the  I-CRT framework:

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• Oral Language is developed through purposeful storytelling and sharing, helping students make meaning from personal experiences.

• Phonemic Awareness is reinforced through active listening to culturally familiar sounds and spoken language patterns.

• Phonics is taught using decoding strategies that honor familiar words and linguistic backgrounds.

• Fluency is built through expressive retelling, performing stories, and listening to fluent models from diverse voices.

• Vocabulary expands through rich, contextual learning that builds on students’ cultural and background knowledge.

• Comprehension is deepened by linking content to students’ lived experiences, identities, and real-world thinking.​

 

I-CRT brings the Science of Reading to life in a way that values each child’s voice, culture, and their unique path to understanding.