As states rush to address falling literacy scores, a new kind of education debate in state legislatures is taking hold: not whether reading instruction needs fixing, but how to fix it.
More than a dozen states have enacted laws banning public school educators from teaching youngsters to read using an approach that’s been popular for decades. The method, known as “three-cueing,� encourages kids to figure out unfamiliar words using context clues such as meaning, sentence structure and visual hints.
kAmx? E96 A2DE EH@ J62CD[ D6G6C2= DE2E6D 92G6 :?DE625 6>3C2465 :?DECF4E:@? C@@E65 :? H92E’D <?@H? 2D E96 “D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8]� %92E 2AAC@249 =62?D 962G:=J @? A9@?:4D � C6=J:?8 @? =6EE6C 2?5 C9J>:?8 D@F?5D E@ C625 H@C5D DF49 2D 42E[ 92E 2?5 C2E]k^Am
kAm%96 A@=:4J 5:D4FDD:@?D @? 62C=J =:E6C24J 2C6 F?7@=5:?8 282:?DE 2 324<5C@A @7 2=2C>:?8 ?2E:@?2= C625:?8 AC@7:4:6?4J =6G6=D] %96 a_ac }2E:@?’D #6A@CE r2C5 C6G62=65 E92E c_T @7 7@FCE9 8C256CD 2?5 bbT @7 6:89E9 8C256CD D4@C65 36=@H E96 32D:4 C625:?8 =6G6= � E96 9:896DE A6C46?E286D :? 564256D]k^Am
kAm}@ DE2E6 :>AC@G65 :? 7@FCE9\ @C 6:89E9\8C256 C625:?8 :? a_ac] t:89E DE2E6D � p=2D<2[ pC:K@?2[ s6=2H2C6[ u=@C:52[ }63C2D<2[ }6G252[ &E29 2?5 '6C>@?E � D4@C65 H@CD6 E92? E96J 5:5 2 J62C @C EH@ AC:@C :? 6:89E9\8C256 C625:?8]k^Am
kAmu:G6 � pC:K@?2[ u=@C:52[ }63C2D<2[ $@FE9 s2<@E2 2?5 '6C>@?E � D2H 5:AD :? E96:C 7@FCE9\8C256 C625:?8 D4@C6D]k^Am
kAmx? C6DA@?D6 E@ E96D6 EC@F3=:?8 EC6?5D[ 2 8C@H:?8 ?F>36C @7 DE2E6D 2C6 >@G:?8 36J@?5 =@42=:K65 677@CED 2?5 E24<=:?8 =:E6C24J E9C@F89 DE2E6H:56 =68:D=2E:@?]k^Am
kAm}6H y6CD6J =2DE J62C >2?52E65 F?:G6CD2= z\b =:E6C24J D4C66?:?8D] x?5:2?2 =2H>2<6CD E9:D >@?E9 A2DD65 2 3:== E92E H@F=5 2==@H D@>6 DEF56?ED E@ C6E2<6 C6BF:C65 C625:?8 E6DED 367@C6 36:?8 96=5 324< :? E9:C5 8C256j E92E 3:== :D 6? C@FE6 E@ E96 8@G6C?@C’D 56D<]k^Am
kAm~C68@? 2?5 (2D9:?8E@? 2C6 H6:89:?8 DE2E6H:56 =:E6C24J 4@249:?8 2?5 EC2:?:?8 >@56=D[ H9:=6 =2H>2<6CD :? |@?E2?2 :?EC@5F465 2 3:== E@ 2==@H =:E6C24J :?E6CG6?E:@?D E@ 4@G6C 3C@256C C625:?8 2?5 24256>:4 D<:==D[ ?@E ;FDE 62C=J C625:?8 32D:4D]k^Am
kAm|:DD:DD:AA:[ 2 DE2E6 D66? 2D 2 >@56= 7@C EFC?2C@F?5 :? =:E6C24J C2E6D @G6C E96 A2DE 564256[ D66<D E@ 6IA2?5 2?5 C6BF:C6 6G:56?46\32D65 C625:?8 :?E6CG6?E:@?D[ >2?52E@CJ =:E6C24J D4C66?:?8D 2?5 E2C86E65 E62496C EC2:?:?8[ 2?5 E@ 6IA=:4:E=J 32? E96 FD6 @7 E9C66\4F6:?8 >6E9@5D :? C625:?8 :?DECF4E:@? :? 8C256D c\g]k^Am
kAm%@86E96C[ E96D6 677@CED D:8?2= 2 ?2E:@?2= D9:7Ei $E2E6D 2C6 EC62E:?8 =:E6C24J ?@E 2D 2 =@42= :?:E:2E:G6[ 3FE 2D E96 7@F?52E:@? @7 AF3=:4 65F42E:@? A@=:4J]k^Am
kAm“{:E6C24J :D E96 =6G6C[â€� D2:5 %27D9:6C r@D3J[ E96 D6?:@C 5:C64E@C @7 E96 r6?E6C 7@C ~C82?:K:?8 2?5 !2CE?6CD9:AD 2E E96 }2E:@?2= !2C6?ED &?:@?[ 2? 25G@424J 8C@FA] “x7 DE2E6D 7@4FD @? E92E[ H6 D66 3:A2CE:D2? H:?D] qFE E96 492==6?86 :D >2<:?8 E92E 2 DE2E6H:56 AC:@C:EJ[ ?@E ;FDE 2 5:DEC:4E\3J\5:DEC:4E 9@A6]â€k^Am
k9cm‘xE’D E96 DJDE6> E92E ?665D 7:I:?8’k^9cm
kAmq67@C6 96 H2D 6G6? DH@C? :?[ 7:CDE\E6C> v6@C8:2 s6>@4C2E:4 DE2E6 $6?] #2$92F? z6>A[ 2 7@C>6C E62496C 2?5 AC:?4:A2=[ 925 2=C625J 5C27E65 2 3:== E@ 6?5 E96 FD6 @7 E96 E9C66\4F6:?8 DJDE6> :? v6@C8:2 4=2DDC@@>D]k^Am
kAm%9:D >@?E9[ E96 7:?2= G6CD:@? A2DD65 E96 DE2E6 =68:D=2EFC6 H:E9@FE 2 D:?8=6 �?@� G@E6] v~! v@G] qC:2? z6>A D:8?65 :E :?E@ =2H |@?52J]k^Am
kAm$6?] z6>A D2:5 9:D A2DD:@? 7@C =:E6C24J C67@C> DEC6E496D 324< 564256D[ D92A65 3J 6IA6C:6?46D EFE@C:?8 49:=5C6? 2E 2 =@42= 49FC49 2D 2 4@==686 DEF56?E :? E96 62C=J a___D] xE H2D E96C6[ 96 D2:5[ E92E 96 3682? ?@E:4:?8 A2EE6C?D :? 9@H DEF56?ED DECF88=65 H:E9 7@F?52E:@?2= C625:?8]k^Am
kAm“x? >J 6IA6C:6?46[ x D2H <:5D DECF88=6 E@ :56?E:7J E96 H@C5 E96J H6C6 C625:?8] x D2H 9@H D@>6 <:5D H6C6 8F6DD:?8 H92E E96 H@C5 H2D :?DE625 @7 564@5:?8[â€� z6>A C642==65] “p?5 :E’D ?@E E649?@=@8J @C D4C66?D E92E’D E96 AC@3=6>] xE’D H92E E62496CD 2C6 36:?8 :?DECF4E65 @? 9@H E@ E6249 C625:?8] xE’D E96 DJDE6> E92E ?665D 7:I:?8[ ?@E E96 E62496CD]â€k^Am
kAm%96 ?6H =2H C6BF:C6D E96 !C@76DD:@?2= $E2?52C5D r@>>:DD:@? � 2 DE2E6 286?4J E92E @G6CD66D E62496C AC6A 2?5 46CE:7:42E:@?� E@ 25@AE CF=6D >2?52E:?8 6G:56?46\32D65 C625:?8 :?DECF4E:@? 2=:8?65 H:E9 E96 D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8[ 2 D6E @7 AC24E:46D C@@E65 :? 564256D @7 4@8?:E:G6 C6D62C49 @? 9@H 49:=5C6? 36DE =62C? E@ C625]k^Am
kAm“rFCC6?E DEC2E68:6D FD65 E@ E6249 =:E6C24J :?4=F56 >6E9@5D E92E E6249 DEF56?ED E@ 8F6DD C2E96C E92? C625[ AC6G6?E:?8 E96> 7C@> C6249:?8 E96:C 7F== A@E6?E:2=[â€� $6?] z6>A D2:5 :? 2 AF3=:4 DE2E6>6?E 7@==@H:?8 E96 3:==’D =68:D=2E:G6 A2DD286] “x <?@H H6 42? 36 36EE6C[ 2?5 xâ€�> AC@F5 E@ D66 @FC =68:D=2E:G6 3@5J E2<6 >F49\?66565 DE6AD E@ 96=A >2<6 v6@C8:2 E96 ?F>36C @?6 DE2E6 7@C =:E6C24J]â€k^Am
kAmx? (6DE ':C8:?:2[ =2H>2<6CD 92G6 :?EC@5F465 D:>:=2C 3:==D E92E H@F=5 C6BF:C6 E96 DE2E6’D E62496CD E@ 36 46CE:7:65 :? E96 D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8]k^Am
kAmr@D3J[ @7 E96 }2E:@?2= !2C6?ED &?:@?[ D2:5 =@42= A@=:4J 492?86D 42? 36 5C:G6? 3J A2C6?ED 6G6? 367@C6 =68:D=2EFC6D 24E]k^Am
kAm“p== A@=:E:4D 2C6 =@42=[â€� r@D3J D2:5] â€�!2C6?ED 5@?’E ?665 E@ H2:E 7@C DE2E6H:56 >2?52E6D â€� E96J 42? 2D< D49@@= 3@2C5D 7@C F?:G6CD2= D4C66?6CD 2?5 DECF4EFC65 =:E6C24J ?@H]â€k^Am
kAm$E:==[ D@>6 A2C6?ED H@CCJ E96:C DE2E6D 2C6 D:>A=J 7F?5:?8 >@C6 DEF5:6D @? 62C=J =:E6C24J C2E96C E92? E2<:?8 5:C64E 24E:@? E@ 255C6DD :E]k^Am
kAmp !@CE=2?5[ ~C68@?[ A2C6?E @7 E9C66 � @?6 @7 H9@> 92D 5JD=6I:2 � D6?E HC:EE6? E6DE:>@?J E9:D J62C FC8:?8 =2H>2<6CD E@ D<:A 7FCE96C DEF5:6D 2?5 :>>65:2E6=J :>A=6>6?E DECF4EFC65 =:E6C24J DE2E6H:56]k^Am
kAm�(6 5@ ?@E ?665 2?@E96C DEF5J E@ E6== FD H92E H6 2=C625J <?@H � DECF4EFC65 =:E6C24J :D E96 >@DE 67764E:G6 H2J E@ E6249 2== 49:=5C6? E@ C625[ A2CE:4F=2C=J E9@D6 H:E9 5JD=6I:2 2?5 @E96C C625:?8 492==6?86D[� HC@E6 z2E96C:?6 w@77>2?]k^Am
k9cm~AA@D:E:@? E@ ‘D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8’k^9cm
kAm&?=:<6 :? v6@C8:2[ E96 “D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8� 92D >6E C6D:DE2?46 :? @E96C DE2E6D]k^Am
kAmx? r2=:7@C?:2[ =68:D=2E:@? E92E H@F=5 C6BF:C6 A9@?:4D\32D65 C625:?8 :?DECF4E:@? DE2E6H:56 92D 72465 @AA@D:E:@? 7C@> t?8=:D9 =62C?6C 25G@42E6D H9@ 2C8F6 E92E 2 @?6\D:K6\7:ED\2== 2AAC@249 >2J ?@E 67764E:G6=J D6CG6 >F=E:=:?8F2= DEF56?ED]k^Am
kAmx? @AA@D:E:@? E@ E96 3:==[ E96 r2=:7@C?:2 %62496CD pDD@4:2E:@? 2C8F65 E92E 3J 4@5:7J:?8 2 C:8:5 567:?:E:@? @7 E96 “D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8[� =2H>2<6CD :8?@C6 E96 6G@=G:?8 ?2EFC6 @7 C625:?8 C6D62C49 2?5 F?56C>:?6 E62496CD� 23:=:EJ E@ >66E E96 5:G6CD6 ?665D @7 E96:C DEF56?ED]k^Am
kAmâ€�!=24:?8 2 567:?:E:@? 7@C ‘D4:6?46 @7 C625:?8â€� :? DE2EFE6 :D AC@3=6>2E:4[â€� HC@E6 $6E9 qC2>3=6[ 2 =68:D=2E:G6 25G@42E6 7@C E96 r2=:7@C?:2 %62496CD pDD@4:2E:@? :? 2 |2C49 =6EE6C 255C6DD65 E@ E96 DE2E6’D pDD6>3=J t5F42E:@? r@>>:EE66] â€�%9:D 3:== H@F=5 42CG6 :?E@ DE@?6 D4:6?E:7:4 <?@H=6586 E92E 3J :ED G6CJ ?2EFC6 :D 4@?DE2?E=J 36:?8 E6DE65[ G2=:52E65[ C67FE65[ C6G:D65[ 2?5 :>AC@G65]â€k^Am
kAm$:>:=2C=J[ :? (:D4@?D:?[ s6>@4C2E:4 v@G] %@?J tG6CD :? |2C49 G6E@65 2 3:== E92E H@F=5 92G6 C6G6CD65 492?86D E@ E96 DE2E6’D D4@C:?8 DJDE6> E@ 2=:8? E96 DE2E6’D 36?49>2C<D H:E9 E96 }2E:@?2= pDD6DD>6?E @7 t5F42E:@?2= !C@8C6DD[ 2 7656C2= 2DD6DD>6?E E@@= E92E 92D C646?E=J 366? 9:E H:E9 7F?5:?8 4FED 2?5 =2J@77D F?56C E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?] tG6CD D2:5 :? 9:D G6E@ E92E #6AF3=:42? =2H>2<6CD H6C6 DE6AA:?8 @? E96 DE2E6 DFA6C:?E6?56?E’D :?56A6?56?46]k^Am
kAm%92E G6E@ :D 2?@E96C DE6A :? E96 6G@=FE:@? @7 2 3C@256C 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= 7:89E @G6C =:E6C24J A@=:4J 2?5 9@H =:E6C24J 7F?5D 2C6 2AAC@AC:2E65 2?5 C6=62D65] x? a_ab[ (:D4@?D:? =2H>2<6CD D6E 2D:56Sd_ >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H DE2E6H:56 =:E6C24J :?:E:2E:G6[ 3FE 5:D28C66>6?ED @G6C =68:D=2E:G6 G6CDFD 6I64FE:G6 4@?EC@= 92G6 DE2==65 :ED 5:D3FCD6>6?E]k^Am
kAmx?5:2?2’D =68:D=2EFC6 72465 4C:E:4:D> 7C@> 65F42E@CD @G6C 2 a_ac >2?52E6 C6BF:C:?8 g_ 9@FCD @7 =:E6C24J EC2:?:?8 7@C AC6\z E@ D:IE9\8C256 E62496CD 367@C6 E96J 42? C6?6H E96:C =:46?D6D] %62496CD 2C8F65 E92E E96 255:E:@?2= C6BF:C6>6?ED H6C6 3FC56?D@>6 2?5 5:5 ?@E 244@F?E 7@C E96:C AC@76DD:@?2= 6IA6CE:D6]k^Am
kAmx? x==:?@:D[ =:E6C24J DECF88=6D 92G6 366? 3F:=5:?8 7@C >@C6 E92? 2 564256[ 244@C5:?8 E@ |2:=66 $>:E9[ D6?:@C 5:C64E@C @7 A@=:4J 2E E96 x==:?@:D !@=:4J x?DE:EFE6] %@52J[ @?=J b :? `_ x==:?@:D E9:C5\ 2?5 7@FCE9\8C256CD 42? C625 2E 8C256 =6G6=[ 32D65 @? DE2E6 2?5 ?2E:@?2= 2DD6DD>6?ED]k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 x==:?@:D =2H>2<6CD 2>6?565 E96 D49@@= 4@56 :? a_ab E@ 4C62E6 2 DE2E6 =:E6C24J A=2?[ $>:E9 ?@E65 E96 A=2? :D @?=J 8F:52?46 2?5 5@6D ?@E C6BF:C6 5:DEC:4ED E@ 25@AE 6G:56?46\32D65 C625:?8 :?DECF4E:@?] $96 FC865 =@42= D49@@= 3@2C5D E@ 24E @? E96:C @H?]k^Am
kAm“x7 DEF56?ED 42?’E C625 3J E9:C5 8C256[ 92=7 @7 7@FCE9\8C256 4FCC:4F=F> 364@>6D :?4@>AC696?D:3=6[â€� D96 D2:5] “p DEF56?E’D =:<6=:9@@5 E@ 8C25F2E6 9:89 D49@@= 42? 36 AC65:4E65 3J E96:C C625:?8 D<:== 2E E96 6?5 @7 E9:C5 8C256]â€k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 E96 492==6?86D[ $>:E9 D2:5 6G6? D>2== DE6AD 42? >2<6 2 C62= 5:776C6?46]k^Am
kAm�$4C66?:?8[ :?E6CG6?E:@?[ A2C6?E2= ?@E:46[ D4:6?46\32D65 :?DECF4E:@? 2?5 E9@F89E7F= 8C256 AC@>@E:@? � E9@D6 2C6 E96 7:G6 A:==2CD[ 2?5 x==:?@:D 2?5 6G6? =@42= D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED 42? :>A=6>6?E D@>6 @7 E96D6 DE6AD C:89E 2H2J[� D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“xE 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 36 52F?E:?8]â€k^Am