No one method works for all children, but a combination of these methods is proven to help children K-6 and children who have had difficulty learning to read.
- PHONEMIC AWARENESS – knowledge of letters, letter sounds and print as a representation for spoken sounds
- SYNTHETIC PHONICS – blending sounds into words
- ALPHABETIC CODE – phonics and decoding
- FLUENT, AUTOMATIC READING – oral and silent
- VOCABULARY – taught directly and in context
- COMPREHENSION of TEXT – teach strategies
- WRITTEN EXPRESSION – reinforces reading skills
- CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT – to guide instruction
- GUIDED ORAL READING of a wide range of printed material
Children need feedback – research does not show silent reading improves comprehension nor fluency, although it may help.