Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom

In this well-organized book, the authors walk readers through six shifts that teachers of Grades 3-5 should consider when bringing reading science into the classroom: Reconsidering How Knowledge Impacts Comprehension, Rethinking the Role of Strategy Instruction in Learning to Comprehend, Recommitting to Vocabulary Instruction, Reclaiming Word-Reading Instruction in the Intermediate Grades (by which they mean 3-5), Revisiting Fluency Instruction, and Reimagining Independent Practice in the Literacy Classroom. All six shifts align well with the expectations of the 2023 Ontario Language Curriculum.

Every chapter, written in reader-friendly language while citing the research, includes the clearing up of misconceptions, summaries of the science and recommendations for the classroom. This book would be ideal for a Grade 3 + Junior divisional book study.