Making Words Stick: A Four-Step Instructional Routine to Power Up Orthographic Mapping -- Molly Ness, Paperback

The average reader instantly recognizes 30,000 to 70,000 words--with no need to sound them out. How does that happen? Through a process called orthographic mapping. This book explains the process by which readers embed words into their long-term memories, and the instruction necessary to help K-5 students do just that. Teachers will learn how to connect decoding, encoding, and meaning through a four-step, research-based, classroom-tested routine that accelerates students' abilities to lift words off the page and capture them in reading and writing.

Educator Takeaways:

- No more rote memorization of words-this routine makes words stick permanently so students spend less time and energy decoding, more time reading.

- Provides the missing link for K-2 teachers who must teach foundational skills and who need to accelerate older striving readers.

- Includes classroom videos that show the four-part routine in action, and downloadable tools to implement it.

- Can be integrated with any K-5 reading curriculum to provide a stronger foundation for kids.

Author: Molly Ness, Katie Pace Miles
Publisher: Scholastic Professional
Published: 05/20/2025
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781546176459

About the Author

Dr. Molly Ness, a former classroom teacher, has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction. She is the creator of the End Book Deserts podcast, as well as the author of five books and numerous articles. Molly serves on the boards of The International Literacy Association, the New York chapter of the Reading League, and on the New York City Mayor's Literacy Advisory Council.

Dr. Katharine Pace Miles, an associate professor at Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY) whose research focuses on orthographic mapping, high frequency word learning, and literacy instruction that is both developmentally appropriate and grounded in the science of reading. Dr. Miles is the academic advisor for Reading Rescue, an evidence-based intervention for first and second grade students. She is also the co-founder and principal investigator of CUNY Reading Corps, which improves preservice teacher training and provides free high-dosage tutoring to historically underserved NYC students.