Science of Reading Beyond Phonics: Comprehension, Language, and Fluency in Focus

The Science of Reading Is More Than Just Phonics

When educators first encounter the Science of Reading, it’s often through the lens of phonics. But the research base is much broader and deeper, spanning comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, syntax, and more. To support students in becoming truly skilled readers, we must go beyond decoding to explore how they make meaning, engage with language, and read with expression.

In this blog, we’ve gathered five podcast episodes that illuminate the essential aspects of the Science of Reading beyond phonics. From the cognitive underpinnings of comprehension to practical fluency routines and the power of morphology, these conversations offer research-based insights and real-world strategies to help you refine your literacy instruction.

“Science of Reading Beyond Phonics Series: Reading Comprehension Blueprint with Nancy Hennessy”

In this episode, reading comprehension expert Nancy Hennessy walks us through the Reading Comprehension Blueprint, a flexible framework that helps educators plan purposeful instruction rooted in cognitive science.

Nancy breaks down the complex interaction among a reader's knowledge, the text itself, and the author's intent. She shares practical guidance on how to build mental models, activate background knowledge, and design instruction that supports complex thinking. If you're looking for a road map for teaching reading comprehension, this conversation is a great place to start.

Discover the key to unlocking students' reading comprehension.

• How do you plan and check for comprehension during your ELA lessons?
• How are you helping students build mental models as they read, especially with complex texts?
• In what ways do your current materials consider task, text, and context when targeting comprehension?

Classroom Move to Try

As students read, encourage them to pause and reflect as they build a mental model of the text as a whole.

“Science of Reading Beyond Phonics Series: The Ultimate Goal of Reading with Doug Fisher”

In this powerful episode, Doug Fisher challenges educators to rethink the ultimate goal of reading: making meaning and taking action. He explains how vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language intersect, and he shares compelling insights into why reading and writing should never be taught in isolation.

Doug also offers three actionable practices that educators can implement immediately to boost comprehension. With a clear focus on equity and student agency, this episode reminds us that decoding is just the beginning. What students do with text is where real literacy lives.

Is your reading instruction leading to real understanding?

• Do your lessons prioritize knowledge building and vocabulary alongside decoding and fluency?
• How integrated is your reading and writing instruction, and where might deeper connections be made?
• What practices in your classroom support students in making meaning from text and applying it in real ways?

Classroom Move to Try

When students finish reading, ask: “What does this text help us understand, and how might we use that knowledge?” Keep the focus on meaning and application.

“Science of Reading Beyond Phonics Series: Language for Life with Lyn Stone”

Linguist and author Lyn Stone brings the joy of language to life in this lively conversation. She explores why etymology, morphology, grammar, and syntax are essential, not as isolated skills but as the foundation for comprehension and expression.
From playful wordplay to practical intervention, Lyn highlights how teacher knowledge of language supports student achievement. Her message is clear: When we treat language as meaningful and magical, we unlock deeper literacy outcomes.

What if words could transform your teaching?

• How do you currently incorporate etymology or morphology into your vocabulary instruction?
• How might making word learning more playful and pattern-based support struggling readers and writers?

Classroom Move to Try

Highlight a word’s structure or origin and invite students to notice related words in the text. Discuss how knowing the form or history of a word clarifies its meaning.

"Science of Reading Beyond Phonics Series: Fluency Instructional Routines with Nathaniel Swain”

Fluency plays a crucial role in skilled reading. Nathaniel Swain breaks fluency down into its core elements—accuracy, speed or rate (getting to automaticity), and prosody, or expression—and explains how fluency helps students build independence and stamina.

The episode is packed with fluency routines such as repeated reading, choral reading, and paired reading, along with ideas for how to use text sets and technology to keep practice purposeful.

How do effective fluency practices keep readers engaged?

• Which components of fluency (accuracy, speed or rate, and prosody) do you assess and teach most explicitly?
• How might you build in more authentic fluency practice by using shared, familiar texts or performance-based routines?
• Are your fluency expectations developmentally appropriate across grade levels? What scaffolds support students at different stages?

Classroom Move to Try

Have students revisit a familiar passage and read it chorally, paying special attention to phrasing and expression. Ask them how reading the passage with expression changed their understanding of the text.

“Science of Reading Beyond Phonics Series: Fluency Instruction and Assessment with Jan Hasbrouck”

Fluency expert Jan Hasbrouck joins the podcast to demystify how to assess and teach fluency. She shares the research behind the Hasbrouck–Tindal oral reading fluency chart and clears up common misconceptions, such as why reading fast isn’t always better.
Jan emphasizes that fluency assessment should inform instruction, not just benchmark progress. She also explains how fluency connects back to comprehension and offers tips for differentiating support.

What do your fluency assessments really tell you?

• How do you currently assess oral reading fluency? What patterns are you noticing in student data?
• How can you use fluency assessments to guide instructional decisions?
• How do you support students who read accurately but lack expression or understanding?

Classroom Move to Try

After a fluency check, guide students to notice not only speed and accuracy but also expression. Ask students if reading fluently helped them understand the text’s meaning better.

Moving from Sounding Out to Making Meaning Through Fluency

As these episodes reveal, skilled reading is a complex, multidimensional process that draws on language, knowledge, fluency, and purpose. By deepening your understanding of the Science of Reading beyond phonics, you can better support your students in becoming independent readers who think critically and read to learn.