Key components of literacy instruction

“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” – Victor Hugo

This quote reminds us that our roles, as educators, are very powerful. We are charged with the responsibility of “lighting a fire.”  It is our responsibility to create lifelong learners and readers.  In order to do this effectively, we must understand the essential elements of literacy instruction.  In 2000, the National Reading Panel issued a report entitled Teaching Children to Read, which details the key components of literacy instruction as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.  http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/Pages/nrp.aspx/

“The Panel found that a combination of techniques is effective for teaching children to read:

• Phonemic awareness—the knowledge that spoken words can be broken apart into smaller segments of sound known as phonemes. Children who are read to at home—especially material that rhymes—often develop the basis of phonemic awareness. Children who are not read to will probably need to be taught that words can be broken apart into smaller sounds.
• Phonics—the knowledge that letters of the alphabet represent phonemes, and that these sounds are blended together to form written words. Readers who are skilled in phonics can sound out words they haven't seen before, without first having to memorize them.
• Fluency—the ability to recognize words easily, read with greater speed, accuracy, and expression, and to better understand what is read. Children gain fluency by practicing reading until the process becomes automatic; guided oral repeated reading is one approach to helping children become fluent readers.
• Guided oral reading—reading out loud while getting guidance and feedback from skilled readers. The combination of practice and feedback promotes reading fluency.
• Teaching vocabulary words—teaching new words, either as they appear in text, or by introducing new words separately. This type of instruction also aids reading ability.
• Reading comprehension strategies—techniques for helping individuals to understand what they read. Such techniques involve having students summarize what they've read, to gain a better understanding of the material.”

In the following weeks, I will be sharing some research based activities for teaching each of the key components.  I will be referencing Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction Grades K-3 by Sharon Vaughn and Sylvia Linan-Thompson.