Georgia’s literacy coach discusses a new method of teaching reading

The first school bus arrives at Hope-Hill Elementary School on Aug. 1, 2024. (LaShawn Hudson/WABE)

Georgia officials have begun to change the way educators teach students how to read.

Last year, Georgia passed a bill requiring schools to emphasize “structured literacy” when training instructors and testing students.

It’s a method that teaches reading in a systemic and explicit manner characterized by word identification and decoding strategies. The method stems from the science of reading, which refers to a body of research examining the best way for children to learn how to read.