| Consistent and sequential reading instruction | | | | be constantly alert to the rules of pronunciation |
| significantly enhances a student's ability to grasp | | | | and the definitions of these words. Since the goal |
| the key components involved in this skill. Although | | | | of reading is to comprehend the words, and not |
| the best way to teach the fundamental process | | | | just pronounce or recognize them, word study is |
| of reading has been debated, several essential | | | | essential to bring the reading process to the next |
| factors have been identified. | | | | level. |
| Phonemic awareness and phonics-based curriculum | | | | As the student is led through the stages of |
| provide the student with essential decoding tools. | | | | reading instruction, the educator needs to |
| This stage of pre-reading is achieved through | | | | evaluate these key areas. Phonemic awareness, |
| progressive exercises whereby the student | | | | phonics, recognition of sight words, and |
| recognizes letters and their corresponding sounds, | | | | vocabulary development are all integrated, yet |
| and then blends those sounds to create words. | | | | they can be individually taught and reinforced. |
| While this type of instruction is unarguably at the | | | | Studies has shown that a curriculum that offers |
| core of the reading process, there is another | | | | the emerging reader lively and meaningful text |
| component that generates a high level of fluency | | | | produces a high level of interest. This allows the |
| and comprehension. | | | | student to connect the words with ideas and |
| Memorizing sight words has been shown to | | | | situations that go beyond the classroom and |
| increase a student's ability to read text and | | | | touch upon their lives. |
| understand the meaning. By definition, sight words | | | | While fluency and comprehension are typically |
| are words that are used frequently. Books for | | | | obtained at a later stage in the reading process, |
| beginner readers are created with a limited | | | | educators should have those objectives in mind |
| number and type of words, many of which are | | | | during all phases of this process. As early phonics |
| sight words. When a student memorizes these | | | | instruction is offered alongside the memorization |
| words, there is no need to decode them; they | | | | of sight words, the student significantly increases |
| are automatically read and understood. | | | | the number and type of words that can be read. |
| Since fluency and comprehension are linked, the | | | | This in turn, adds to the fluency of reading, which |
| single act of memorizing sight words lays a solid | | | | positively affects comprehension. |
| foundation for the emergent reader. The | | | | In a similar manner, word study not only |
| student's confidence level is also increased when | | | | improves fluency and comprehension, but |
| these sight words are quickly recognized and | | | | favorably affects spelling and writing. Although |
| assimilated into the passage. The memorization | | | | these skills are further developed in later grades, |
| process can be easily achieved through fun | | | | educators can pave the way for success in these |
| games and other activities, adding an additional | | | | skills at the early stages of reading through an |
| dimension of enjoyment to the learning process. | | | | emphasis on these core components. |
| Developing the student's vocabulary is another | | | | The ability to read well while thoroughly |
| important factor. This is often accomplished in the | | | | comprehending the text is the ultimate goal of |
| early stage by the use of phonics and the | | | | any reading program. When these key principles |
| recognition of sight words. When the student's | | | | are put into practice, students gain a higher |
| vocabulary is increased through word study, word | | | | mastery of reading that contributes to overall |
| features are internalized, eliminating the need to | | | | academic success. |