Instructivism in Literacy as a Means for Social Justice: An Effective Path Forward with Direct Instruction Reading

Abstract

In this paper, we reflect on the existing literacy achievement gap in the United States, the interconnected variables that contribute to this social justice issue, and the history of the federal government’s response to this problem. We offer one part of a potential social justice solution to this deeply rooted and complex educational problem: a response shaped by the evidence-based methodology of Direct Instruction Reading. After contextualizing the literacy achievement gap, we detail the history of Direct Instruction efficacy, highlight key components of the methodology, and briefly summarize decades worth of research that demonstrate its consistent ability to increase marginalized students’ access to quality reading instruction. Together, these illustrate the potential for transforming student outcomes as one part of a solution for the injustice of the literacy achievement gap.