5 Elements of Reading PDF

The National Reading Panel: Five Components of Reading Instruction
Frequently Asked Questions

Phonemic Awareness
What is a phoneme?
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a word. For example, the word cat is made up
of three phonemes (or three sounds): /c/ /a/ and /t/. The word fish is also made up of three
phonemes (or three sounds) even though fish has four letters: /f/ /i/ /sh/.
Test your phoneme knowledge: How many phonemes are in the word school? How many
phonemes are in the word family?
What is phonemic awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the knowledge that words are made up of a combination of
individual sounds. For example, the word cat is made up of three sounds (phonemes) /c/
/a/ and /t/. When these three sounds are combined fluidly, they make up the word cat. If a
child knows that cat, car, and caboose all have the same sound at the beginning of the
word, she has phonemic awareness. In other words, she is aware that the /c/ sound
(phoneme) begins each of those three words.
Phonemic awareness is more than recognizing sounds. It also includes the ability to hold
on to those sounds, blend them successfully into words, and take them apart again. For
example, in addition to the knowledge that the word cat has three separate sounds,
phonemic awareness is the ability to blend these three sounds together to form the word
cat and, when asked, to identify and separate the sounds within the word.
Do all children need instruction in phonemic awareness?
Some children have a good sense of phonemic awareness, but to differing degrees. It is
important to determine the childs level before beginning instruction. While all reading
programs should devote some time to phonemic instruction, phonemic awareness is
usually acquired naturally through exposure to print. The NRP found that during the
kindergarten year, 18 hours total of phonemic awareness instruction just 30 minutes a
week, six minutes a day provided maximum advantage.
Phonics
What is phonics?
Phonics is the relationship between a specific letter and its sound, only as it relates to the
written word. Phonics is used, for example, when a reader comes across an unknown
word. With knowledge of phonics, he can try to read the word by focusing on the specific
sound of each letter or combination of letters. For example, if a child does not recognize
the word chant, he might break the word apart into pieces, such as /ch/ /a/ /n/ /t/ (or /ch/
/a/ /nt/, or /ch/ /ant/), assigning an appropriate sound to each separate letter or
combination of letters. Then, the child combines those sounds to create the word chant.
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Phonics is also used in writing, or encoding text. For instance, if a child is trying to spell
smart, she might begin with the /s/ sound and write s. Then, she goes to the next sound
/m/ and writes m, and so on. An early phonics learner often achieves a close
approximation of correct spelling rather than complete accuracy. For example, she may
attempt to spell the word smart using the method above but end up with smrt, simply
because she only heard the dominant /r/ sound in the /ar/ sound-letter combination.
What is phonological awareness?
Phonological awareness is the knowledge that there are patterns within words that can aid
in both reading and writing. For example, those who have good phonological awareness
can use rhyme, beginning and ending sounds, specific phonemes, etc. to read and write
words.
Does learning phonics inhibit reading comprehension?
No. If a child learns to identify the relationship between the sounds of our language and
letters, he will have an easier time identifying words, leading to improved reading
comprehension. Failure to master phonics is the number one reason that children have
difficulty learning to read.
However, phonics instruction does have limitations, especially since English does not
have a pure phonetic base. The most obvious example of this is sounding out the words
cough, though, tough, and through. A successful reading program should include both
explicit phonics instruction and comprehension instruction. One without the other can
delay or impede success in learning how to read.
How important is phonics instruction?
According to the NRP, systematic phonics instruction is only one component of the
reading process a means to an end. Children need to be able to blend sounds together
to decode words, and they need to break spoken words into their basic sounds in order to
write them. However, phonics should never become the overriding component in any
reading program.
Fluency
What is fluency?
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and smoothly. When fluent readers read
aloud, their expression, intonation, and pacing sound natural much like speaking. This
does not mean that fluent readers never make mistakes. Fluency develops from reading
practice. The same reader may read a familiar text fluently and a new, more challenging
text less fluently.
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Why is fluency important?

Since fluency depends on higher word recognition skills, it helps children move from
decoding words to sight-reading. This means that less energy is spent on deciphering
each word and more is spent on comprehending what is read. If children are struggling to
decode individual words, they cannot concentrate on other strategies that support their
overall understanding of what they read.
How does fluency increase?
Practice, practice, practice. Repeated oral reading is the best way for children to improve
their fluency. This can include re-reading a familiar text several times, listening to
models of fluent reading, or engaging in choral, or unison reading with a big book.
Choose books that children can read with a high degree of success. If the book is too
difficult, children will be bogged down with vocabulary and comprehension questions
and their fluency will be hindered.
Vocabulary
What role does vocabulary play in learning to read?
When children learn to read, they begin to understand that the words on the page
correspond to the words they encounter every day in spoken English. Thats why its
much easier for children to make sense of written words that are already part of their oral
language. While we dont have to know every word on the page to understand what we
are reading, too many new or difficult words make comprehension impossible. As
childrens reading level improves, so does the number of words they need to know.
How do children learn new words?
Children increase their vocabulary through both direct and indirect instruction. Children
continually learn new words indirectly through listening and speaking to the people
around them, being read to by others, and reading on their own. Sometimes children need
to be taught new words explicitly, especially when they are crucial to their understanding
of a story or concept. Study in content areas, such as science and social studies, adds to a
childs vocabulary development.
Text Comprehension
What is text comprehension?
Text comprehension is the interaction that happens between reader and text. More than
merely decoding words on a page, comprehension is the intentional thinking process that
occurs as we read its what reading is all about!
What strategies support comprehension?
Good readers are purposeful and active. They use a wide variety of strategies, often
simultaneously, to create meaning from text. Some of the most important are:
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Monitoring comprehension: Successful readers know when they understand a passage

and when they dont. When they dont understand, they know to pause and utilize
strategies to improve their understanding.
Using prior knowledge: Thinking about what is already known about the subject
helps readers make connections between the story and their knowledge.
Making predictions: Good readers often make predictions as they read through a
story, using both the knowledge they bring to a text as well as what they can derive
from the text.
Questioning: When children ask questions about what they read and subsequently
search for answers, they are interacting with the text to construct meaning. Good
questions are based on a childs knowledge base and what further information she
desires.
Recognizing story structure: Children will understand a story better if they understand
how it is organized (i.e., setting, plot, characters, and themes).
Summarizing: When they summarize a story, readers determine the main idea and
important information and use their own words to demonstrate a real understanding of
the text.
When does comprehension instruction begin?

Since the ultimate goal of reading is to interact with the text, comprehension should be
emphasized from the very beginning, not only after a child has mastered decoding skills.
For example, reading aloud provides an opportunity for children to hear a story and
respond to the content the characters, their feelings and motivations, and the setting,
and to relate it to their own experiences. Children begin from an early point to understand
that comprehension is the point of reading.
Other Questions
Is there a sequence to teaching the five components?
No. Reading or learning how to read is a combination of all the skills mentioned in the
report. The interconnectedness of each of the five components makes it impossible to
teach them in isolation or in a particular order. It is more important to use the individual
childs knowledge and stage of development as a starting point for instruction. However,
since there is a constant give and take among the components, one will sometimes be
emphasized over another.
Is it still important for children to read and discuss excellent literature?
Absolutely. The NRP report states that quality literature helps students to build a sense
of story and to develop vocabulary and comprehension. Tutoring activities that focus on
comprehension as their ultimate goal lead to increased student interest and motivation.
Discussions based on excellent literature do two things: (1) allow for a more
interesting/relevant discussion; and, (2) deepen a childs basic comprehension. By
engaging in a discussion around a text, the reader is exposed to multiple views of
interpretation and is forced to create a deeper personal connection with the text.
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What role does writing play in a literacy program?

Writing is an important part of the literacy process. As children discover writing as a
form of communication, they will begin to express themselves to the best of their ability.
At first this may be scribbles, which then become letters, which eventually resemble
more and more the accurate symbols for the sounds represented. This process allows
children to explore the spelling system of our language.
Reading and writing have a reciprocal relationship one is used to learn and enrich the
other and vice versa. As a writer, the reader has a more intimate knowledge of the writing
process, allowing her to have a greater connection to another authors text.
Writing also supports reading comprehension and recall. When a student writes about
something he has read, he must take time to reflect and organize his thoughts. The
literature children read influences their writing. A child will use his writing as a place to
try out styles, language, new words and even spellings he has come across in reading. To
be literate requires proficiency in both reading and writing.
Can reading sub-skills be taught in isolation and then transferred to authentic text to
improve comprehension?
In an ideal world, the answer would be yes. Unfortunately (or fortunately) that is not the
case. Remember that each sub-skill really relies on other sub-skills. Reading is a
combination of many sub-skills combined to achieve the common goal of
comprehension. Teaching reading sub-skills in an authentic setting ensures that there is
never a moment when comprehension is not a factor.
What is authentic text?
Authentic texts are texts that one might encounter in a typical reading situation, such as a
book, magazine article, or newspaper. In good reading instruction, authentic texts are
used to teach specific skills. For example, one might use a picture book to practice
vocabulary allowing the child to see and understand new vocabulary in its natural
context. This way, the reader learns specific literacy skills in a meaningful and
motivating context that demonstrates how such skills are actually applied.
What constitutes an integrated reading program?
The NRP states that a program that overemphasizes phonics instruction is less effective
in teaching a child to read than a program that integrates a systematic phonics program
with other reading instruction (e.g., phonemic awareness, fluency, text comprehension).
This underscores the importance of using phonics instruction as a means to an end to
advance oral reading and reading comprehension.
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The National Reading Panel: Five Components of Reading Instruction

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is fluency important?

Monitoring comprehension: Successful readers know when they understand a passage

When does comprehension instruction begin?

What role does writing play in a literacy program?

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