Reading is a fundamental skill that every student needs to master to succeed academically and in life. However, reading is not a natural skill; it needs to be taught and learned. As a result, effective, research-supported reading instruction is essential for equipping students with the ability to read with comprehension, fluency, and pleasure. In this article, we’ll outline the nine components of effective, research-supported reading instruction that serve as a guide for teachers.
1. Phonemic awareness: The ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words is a crucial aspect of reading development. Instructional activities that encourage students to sound out words, blend sounds, and manipulate sounds will increase their phonological awareness.
2. Phonics instruction: Phonics involves teaching students the relationship between letters and sounds. A research-supported approach called systematic and explicit phonics instruction has been shown to be highly effective in improving student reading levels.
3. Fluency: Reading fluency refers to the ability to read accurately, smoothly, and quickly. Reading rate, accuracy, and intonation can all be developed through repeated reading, modeled reading, and shared reading.
4. Vocabulary: Vocabulary is the collection of words students must understand to read and comprehend texts. Research shows that a broad and deep vocabulary is critical to students’ reading success. Teachers should aim to introduce new words through active engagement with them in context.
5. Comprehension: Comprehension is the goal of reading; it is the ability to understand what has been read. To teach comprehension, teachers should monitor student thinking during reading and provide explicit instruction in strategies that support comprehension, such as questioning and summarizing.
6. Evaluation: The ability to analyze and evaluate texts is a vital aspect of critical reading. Students need to understand how to separate fact from opinion and distinguish credible sources from unreliable ones. This requires explicit instruction in critical thinking skills and practice in applying them to reading material.
7. Fluency with academic language: Because academic reading is so different from conversational reading, students need instruction in academic language. Academic language includes specific vocabulary, sentence structure, and discourse conventions that differ from an everyday talk.
8. Motivational support: Motivation is the key to student engagement and persistence in reading. Teachers should create an environment that supports students’ interests and offers opportunities for choice and challenge. Motivational support can enhance students’ stamina and enthusiasm for reading and encourage a lifelong love of reading.
9. Cultural and linguistic responsiveness: Teachers must be responsive to the diverse cultures and linguistic backgrounds of their students. Research shows that students who identify with their cultural roots and receive instruction that is culturally and linguistically relevant are more successful readers.
