This landmark paper presents a new model for literacy education which draws on the biological sciences to describe literacy learning as a complex phenomenon. A kind of “theory of everything”, the double helix model is an alternative to the ‘abstract’ and ‘inanimate’ (p. 9) models proffered by the Science of Reading movement. As a visual analogue, it presents reading and writing as interconnected while reminding readers of the complexity and beauty that true science represents. Even at a molecular level, complexity is a fact that applies to ‘human animals’ (p. 9) as well as to the language they use. The analogy is a neat polemic device which may not be enough to persuade policymakers but will attract the attention of academics and school leaders. It is an important contribution, a thoughtful tracing critique of influential models of literacy education and a welcome counterpoint to present claims about science and literacy education.
Reference: Decoding, reading and writing: the double helix theory of teaching. Dominic Wyse, Charlotte Hacking