She called it de-implementation.

Not adding new things.

Removing the ones that aren't working.

Melanie Brethour, a resource teacher with 22 years in the classroom, said the very first step for any teacher who wants to change their reading instruction isn't buying a new program.

It's stopping a few things.

Stop asking kids to look at the picture when they're stuck on a word.

Stop writing spelling words three times.

Stop waiting to see if a struggling reader catches up on their own.

Those small removals? They create space for something better.

One thing you can try this week: when a student gets stuck on a word, resist covering it and pointing to the picture.

Instead, let them look at the word. Let them use what they know about the sounds.

That's it. One shift. See what happens.

If you're ready to dive deeper into the Science of Reading, stay tuned — details about The Science of Reading Made Easy are coming soon.

Talk soon,