In printed English, there is some variability in the relationships between graphemes and the phonemes they represent. Learners who are sensitive to this variability learn to adjust their attempted pronunciation of an unfamiliar word such that they identify a real word that fits the context. This sensitivity and the ability to adjust attempted…

Research shows little benefit from phonics instruction in Grades 2 through 12. However, more recent studies show that students who fall below a decoding threshold fail to benefit from other kinds of reading instruction. This exploration of the evidence suggests that these students are likely to need support in the reading and spelling of…

This single case study examined the effects of segmented and connected phonation decoding training on improving word reading accuracy for three first-grade students who demonstrated challenges with accurate word reading and decoding skills. Visual analysis and single-case effect size calculations indicate students improved their correctly read…

Ensuring effective texts for student reading acquisition is a shared goal. This paper addresses the efficacy of decodable and leveled texts, their word features, and outcomes of reorganizing texts by vowel patterns and topics. Sparse evidence supports one text type's superiority in building a strong reading foundation. Further, the decoding…

Structured Literacy is an approach to reading instruction that explicitly teaches systematic word-identification and decoding strategies. This brief outlines the key features of Structured Literacy and tips for delivering this approach.

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to synthesise the research evidence on the use of decodable texts in the teaching of word reading and pseudoword decoding to determine their effectiveness in facilitating the development of reading skills in children without reading disabilities. A total of 821 articles were identified in the initial search.…

The fundamental significance of literacy achievement cannot be overstated. However, the 2022 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) divulges alarming findings, with a mere 33 percent of the nation's fourth graders performing at or above proficiency in reading (NAEP, 2022). Exploring the nexus of research-informed pedagogy and practice…

The best approach to beginning reading instruction is one that incorporates explicit instruction in five areas: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000). These are known as the "5 Big Ideas" in beginning reading. While the research is clear on what to teach, how to teach these…

Some readers thrive more than others because they are more actively involved in their learning. All students can become active participants in their learning through quality teacher prompting. In this article, teachers will learn how to promote emergent learners' active participation as they decode and comprehend, while problem-solving unknown…

Students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties can benefit from explicit, systematic morphology instruction for decoding and understanding multisyllabic words. When studying morphemes, students learn to identify, spell, and define prefixes, suffixes, and roots, simultaneously addressing both word recognition and language comprehension.…

Multilingual readers use strategies other than phoneme-grapheme and word patterns to pronounce and comprehend sight words presented in popular children's books. Using the Contemporary Children's High-Frequency Words (CCHFW) list, which represents culturally and linguistically diverse and inclusive words, this article provides resources and…

Two recent computational models of reading development propose that irregular words are read using a combination of decoding and lexical knowledge but differ in assumptions about how these sources of information interact and about the relative importance of different aspects of lexical knowledge. We report developmental data that help to…

This case report describes a decoding intervention that was developed for and implemented with a 15-year-old female with significant word-level reading challenges. The intervention integrated multiple evidence-based approaches to improve decoding, including instruction in (a) phonemes-graphemes (sounds-symbols) that the participant did not know at…

Proficient reading requires the ability to analyze words for various properties, including pronunciation, meaning, and syntactical function. However, most instruction in word analysis is limited to phonics instruction provided in the early elementary grades. For older students, whose words largely center units of meaning, or morphemes, early…

This study takes a more holistic look at reading support, to explore what else is happening in this teaching and learning context, beyond the acquisition of a more secure knowledge of decoding skills. Children are deemed in need of a reading support intervention when their literacy skills are assessed as being significantly below the levels…