Can learning science help children learn to read?

Students need to know about specific fields of inquiry (domain knowledge) if they are to read and understand complex, challenging texts. But many U.S. schoolchildren in the primary grades lack opportunities to participate in literacy instruction that systematically builds domain knowledge and makes reading engagement easier. Integrating rich science and social studies content into literacy instruction in the primary grades can not only build students’ domain knowledge but also serve as a foundation for later academic success.

Prior studies of content literacy intervention have focused primarily on the upper elementary and middle grades, leaving open the question of how to enhance the effectiveness of content literacy instruction in the first grade.

In a randomized controlled trial intervention study published in Journal of Educational Psychologyopens in new window, James S. Kim, Mary A. Burkhauser, Laura M. Mesite, Catherine Armstrong Asher, Jackie Eunjung Relyea, Jill Fitzgerald, and Jeff Elmore examined the effectiveness of a content literacy intervention—the model of reading engagement (more)—on science domain knowledge, reading engagement, and reading comprehension of first grade students across 38 classrooms in 10 elementary schools.

The core components of the more lessons were (a) a 10-lesson thematic science unit (i.e., survival of Arctic animals) that gave students a framework to connect new learning to a meaningful schema; (b) conceptually coherent science texts to develop students’ in-depth knowledge of semantically related words and concepts through multiple exposures; (c) interactive read-alouds and text-based discussion; (d) concept mapping activities designed to build students’ network connections and schemas among target concepts in semantic memory; and (e) opportunities for argumentative writing to promote students’ mental instantiation of the topic knowledge while drawing on argument discourse and academic vocabulary networks in working memory.

Kim et al. found that first graders in more classrooms significantly improved in measures of science domain knowledge, including depth of vocabulary knowledge (effect size [ES] = .30), listening comprehension (ES = .40), argumentative writing (ES = .24), and reading comprehension (ES = .11). The more students performed as well as control students who received business-as-usual literacy instruction on basic literacy and reading engagement outcomes.

One thing that made more instruction different from typical literacy instruction was the use of challenging texts with relatively higher readability levels, more complex text structure, and higher knowledge demands about a single topic. Weaving several reading, writing, and listening activities into a thematic unit may also foster a language-rich environment that makes it easier for students to gain domain knowledge and improve reading comprehension.

A comprehensive first grade literacy instruction would need to emphasize not only code- and language-focused instruction but also a process for building domain knowledge to enhance students’ ability to read and write more complex and challenging texts.

This article is in the Educational Psychology topic area. View more articles in the Educational Psychology, School Psychology, and Training topic area.

Kim, J. S., Burkhauser, M. A., Mesite, L. M., Asher, C. A., Relyea, J. E., Fitzgerald, J., & Elmore, J. (2021). Improving reading comprehension, science domain knowledge, and reading engagement through a first grade content literacy intervention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000465opens in new window

James S. Kimopens in new window is professor of education at Harvard University, Graduate School of Education. His current research priority is to understand how building children’s domain knowledge and reading engagement can foster long-term improvements in reading comprehension.

Mary A. Burkhauseropens in new window is a senior researcher at the Reads Lab at Harvard University. She designs, develops, evaluates, and scales up Tier I literacy interventions in partnership with classroom teachers, district leaders, and her Reads Lab colleagues.

Laura M. Mesiteopens in new window is a recent graduate of Harvard University where she earned her doctorate in human development and education as well as a master’s degree in language and literacy. Her current research focuses on ways to improve the practices used to identify and address reading disabilities in U.S. public schools.

Catherine Armstrong Asheropens in new window is a PhD candidate in education policy and program evaluation at Harvard University. Her research focuses on literacy interventions and methodological approaches for understanding treatment effect heterogeneity.

Jackie Eunjung Relyea is an assistant professor of literacy education in the College of Education at North Carolina State University. Her research interests center on literacy intervention models for elementary grade students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Jill Fitzgeraldopens in new window is a research professor in the School of Education at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her current research interests focus on academic vocabulary and textbook analysis. She is currently an associate editor for the Journal of Educational Psychology.

Jeff Elmoreopens in new window is a senior researcher at MetaMetrics, Inc. His background is in applied math and machine learning. His research activities involve the application of modern computational methods to issues in literacy research, including early reading and vocabulary development. Jeff is a regular attendee and presenter at meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Literacy Research Association, and Society for the Scientific Study of Reading.