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10 Maxims What We've Learned So Far About How Children Learn to Read

By Reid Lyon Last updated 2025/08/22

Description

In this Reading Universe document, Reid Lyon summarizes, in plain language, what research has learned about reading development in the last 50 years. This resource will support Educators in professional development with a concise list that includes selective of studies that underlie each maxim.

Curriculum Connection

Reading research is essential in all areas of the curriculum. This document broadly supports the successful implementation of understanding reading development and portraying the essential findings of the research in concise language. 
Grade(s): K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Topic(s): Understanding Reading Development
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2 Comments

  1. The takeaway point from this article for the classroom is that “one size does not fit all –use student data to differentiate instruction”. Differentiating instruction is innate for educators, however, data-driven differentiation underscores specific skills that need to be targeted. For that one child, that can mean the world of difference in overcoming that “block” they may have.

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