The Cognitive Element Model of Reading Instruction
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ABSTRACTThe science of reading emphasizes explicit skillsbased reading instruction to support students reading acquisition. Yet, despite ample evidence of support, some students do not respond to such instruction adequately. To characterize why some students are not responsive to evidencebased reading instruction and to inform the development of novel instructional approaches for improving responsiveness, crossdisciplinary perspectives on cognitive and academic development are important. Based on the cognitiveacademic bidirectional theory, on cognitive training transfer theory, and on various working memoryreading models, the authors propose a cognitive element model of reading instruction that provides a novel framework for considering how to embed supports for cognitive processes within evidencebased reading instruction. Specifically, the element model emphasizes building reading fluency and comprehension/knowledge with explicit instruction. Working memory should not be considered a domaingeneral construct in working memory training that aims to produce fartransfer effects on reading outcomes. Instead of looking for fartransfer effects, we should make outcomes (i.e., reading) neartransfer tasks such that working memory training should be domain (material) specific, task paradigm specific, and strategy specific and assimilated within existing skillbased reading activities. The authors review intervention studies with rigorous methodology and show promising effects of this framework. With the element model, the authors provide a foundation for considering how one can use extant knowledge of evidencebased reading instruction together with knowledge of related skills in other domains (e.g., cognitive psychology) to maximize the efficacy of reading instruction for all students.
