Association for Behavior Analysis International

Webinar Series: America’s Reading Crisis: Recommendations from the Science of Behavior, Dr. Margaret Uwayo, March 2025

Abstract: Reading proficiency has a significant long-term impact at the individual, community, and national level. According to the World Literacy Foundation, illiteracy costs the United States approximately $300.8 billion in employment, business growth, health, crime, and welfare (Cree, Kay, & Stewart, 2022). Unfortunately, the national reading scores for fourth-grade students in the United States have dropped in the last several years. The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading report showed that only 32% of 4th-grade students are proficient readers and that the gap is even greater for students with disabilities as well as those from marginalized backgrounds. Early reading proficiency is critical because children who read proficiently by the 3rd grade are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, earn higher incomes, and have greater retirement savings compared to those who do not. In other words, achieving literacy early in life has many benefits for individuals and their communities, particularly for those from marginalized backgrounds. This webinar will discuss applications of the science of behavior to literacy instruction that may ensure academic success for struggling readers.

Instruction Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: (1) understand the importance of early reading proficiency for all students; (2) understand the contributions the science of behavior has made to improve academic outcomes for children in K-12; (3) understand how literacy may serve as a vehicle of social justice for children from marginalized communities.

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