Reading Terms

 

 

Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken words. Before children learn to read print, they need to become aware of how the sounds in words work. They must understand that words are made up of speech sounds, or phonemes. Teaching children to hear sounds in words helps them learn to read words, improve reading comprehension, and improve spelling and writing.

 

Phonics refers to teaching children the relationships between the sounds of spoken language (phonemic awareness) and the letters of written language. Phonics instruction teaches them to use these relationships to read and write words.

 

Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. When they read aloud, they read effortlessly and with expression. Because fluent readers do not have to spend time sounding out or decoding words, they can focus on what the text means. In other words, fluency is necessary for comprehension, or understanding the meaning of what one is reading. Fluency instruction involves reading aloud to model for students and providing time for students to do repeated readings of a text.

 

Vocabulary refers to the word we must know to communicate effectively, as we listen, speak, read, or write. Young children use words they have heard to make sense of words they see in print. Students who have a large vocabulary will better understand what they are reading. Vocabulary instruction involves directly teaching vocabulary words, teaching student strategies to “figure out” unknown vocabulary, and providing time and many types of books and other written materials for students to read.

 

Comprehension is the reason for reading. It is making sense of written text. If readers can read the words but do not understand what they are reading, they are not really reading. Good readers read for a purpose (to get information, for a class assignment, or for pleasure) and they actively think as they read. Teachers help students learn many strategies to help them make sense of different types of text. They teach students to be aware of what they do understand as they read, what they do not understand, and “fix-up” strategies to help when they are having problems. Very young children begin to learn how to comprehend when adults read to them and talk to them about the story and illustrations. This learning process continues throughout the school years as students read increasingly difficult and varied types of text.