About Reading: An Introduction
By: Diane Henry Leipzig (2001)
It's not an easy thing, learning to read. This article provides a brief overview of what is involved and what parents, teachers, and everyone else who touches the life of a child can do to help those who struggle.
1. How do children learn to read?
Learning to read is complex. Children don't learn one reading-related skill and then move on to the next in a step-by-step process. Instead, they must develop competency in four areas simultaneously: word identification, comprehension, fluency, and motivation.
They begin to develop these competencies by listening to books read aloud. That's one reason why it's so important for children to have experiences with books before they enter kindergarten. However, most children don't learn to read independently until they receive formal instruction in school, which is why good reading instruction is so important.
2. What does good beginning reading instruction look like?