Between the Lines: Integrating the Science of Reading and the Science of Behavior to Improve Reading Outcomes for Australian Children
Australian schools can narrow reading gaps by wedding systematic phonics with ABA tactics like explicit instruction and reinforcement.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Stocker and colleagues scanned the research on two fields at once: how kids learn to read and how behavior science helps learning.
They wrote a narrative review aimed at Australian schools where reading scores lag, especially for marginalized groups.
The paper links systematic phonics with ABA tools like clear prompts, pacing, and reinforcement.
What they found
The authors show that merging the science of reading with the science of behavior could lift Australia’s poor reading results.
They argue that explicit, scripted phonics paired with frequent feedback and data checks gives the biggest payoff.
No new trial data are reported; the piece maps what is known and calls for wider use.
How this fits with other research
Storey et al. (2017) ran an RCT with children in care and found Headsprout® phonics lessons raised word recognition and fluency. Their positive results support the review’s claim that systematic programs work.
Fyke et al. (2021) looked at students with emotional disturbance and saw almost no reading growth. This seems to clash with the upbeat synthesis, but the kids they studied got weak, un-scripted teaching and had severe behavior needs. The contradiction fades when you add strong classroom management and precise phonics, exactly what the target paper urges.
Twyman (2025) supplies a roadmap: pilot, adapt, scale. That framework extends the review by showing how Australian schools can move the combined reading-plus-behavior package from journal pages to daily lessons.
Why it matters
You can act on this today. Pick a validated phonics sequence, script your lessons, build in quick student responses, and deliver immediate praise or points. Track correct words per minute each session and adjust in real time. This blend is low cost, fits tier-one instruction, and targets the kids who usually fall furthest behind.
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Join Free →Open Headsprout or another scripted phonics module, set a 15-minute timing, and reinforce each correct blend with a token and praise.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractMany Australian students fail to meet an acceptable standard of reading proficiency. This can negatively impact their academic progress, social, and emotional well-being, and increase their risk of developing challenging behaviors. These risks and challenges have been found to compound over the lifetime of the learner. Unfortunately, the proportion of Australian students who fail to meet reading proficiency standards increases as they move through their years of schooling, and reading difficulties disproportionately affect historically marginalized groups. This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of instructional approaches used within the Australian education system, particularly in reading, and prompted discussions of reform. The purpose of this review paper was to examine the contributions of the science of reading and science of behavior to our collective knowledge regarding reading development and effective reading instruction, and how this knowledge is currently being used in the Australian context. We provide a discussion on the current state of reading instruction and achievement in Australia by considering national trends, inequities, and systemic challenges. Implications and recommendations to address inequities in reading outcomes, using both the science of reading and science of behavior, are discussed.
Behavior and Social Issues, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s42822-023-00149-y