Exploring science of reading policy through the lens of self-determination theory

Abstract

We believe that reading instruction should be guided by scientific research. The science of reading (SOR) outlines the knowledge and skills students need to learn to read. Currently, policymakers and educational leaders are specifying curricular materials and instructional approaches while outlawing others to mandate SOR instruction. In this paper, we argue that such SOR policies hinder students’ motivation and work, thereby undermining learning. Across the United States, policymakers are requiring SOR instructional programs and approaches that overemphasize whole-class direct instruction and underemphasize active student participation. As literacy scholars, educators, and parents, we examine this context through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT), a leading theory of human behavior. SDT demonstrates that motivation occurs on a continuum of autonomy and control. When people’s basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and belongingness—are met, they experience more autonomous types of motivation, which leads to enhanced performance. In this paper, we argue that current SOR policy implementation stridently compromises students’ feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. We explore the implications of such controlled environments for students.