Science of Reading & Teacher Preparation

Preparing Educators Through the Science of Reading

Walsh University is committed to developing highly effective educators grounded in the Science of Reading—an evidence-based approach endorsed by the Ohio Department of Education and integral to early literacy success. This body of knowledge comes from multiple disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and special education. University faculty have been trained in the science of reading and are including this research in all Walsh coursework as we prepare future educators at the undergraduate and graduate level.

In support of the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) ongoing literacy initiative, Walsh has been a leader in the area of teacher preparation. Explore our exceptional programs!

Ohio’s Literacy Initiative: Walsh Leads the Way

Walsh University was the first higher education institution in Northeast Ohio to fully implement the Science of Reading initiative by January 2020. We were also one of only seven institutions statewide to receive an Ohio Deans Compact on Exceptional Children Improving Literacy Partnership Grant—demonstrating our leadership in advancing reading education.

In collaboration with regional school districts and State Support Teams across Stark, Mahoning, and surrounding counties, Walsh prepares educators to align with the ReadOhio initiative and state-mandated literacy improvements.

What Future Teachers Learn

Our curriculum emphasizes:

• Systematic, explicit phonics instruction that supports all learners

• The five essential components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

• Data-informed literacy practices that are brain-based and developmentally appropriate

• Instructional strategies that support students from diverse backgrounds and with varying learning needs