Reading is not a natural process. It is something we all must learn to do. Written language is a CODE. Certain combinations of letters predictably represent certain sounds. And for the last few decades, the research has been clear: Teaching young kids how to crack the code—teaching systematic phonics—is the most reliable way to make sure that they learn how to read words. Of course the long-term goal is to teach children to make meaning out of print, but if children can’t decipher the precise words on the page, they’ll never become fluent readers or understand the passages they’re reading.

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Looking at the Reading Pyramid, we see that the foundation of reading lies in a child's phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness refers to the specific ability to focus on and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words, and is one of the best predictors of reading success. This is a listening task, and does not involve a student seeing or writing any letters. For example, playing with rhyme or identifying the first sound in a word given to a child orally. If children do not have a good grasp of phonemic awareness they cannot move on to become a strong reader. Children with dyslexia or other language-based difficulties will need extra support in this area. In the early stages of learning (preK-1st grade, it is very important to hone this skill!)

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The next foundational element in learning to read is phonics. That is when we teach the child to match the sounds in a word to the actual written form. This is the beginning of learning to crack the code. When we teach a child the sound associated with each letter or common combination of letters, we are teaching them phonics. Phonics instruction should include both decoding (reading) and encoding (writing). Students who have difficulty learning to read often need more repetition with phonics. Providing phonics instruction in a systematic and multi-sensory way (such as Orton-Gillingham) can help these students imprint the sounds of letters with more success. 

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Only after children develop a solid foundation in phonemic awareness and phonics can we move to the next goals of fluency (reading with speed, accuracy and expression), vocabulary development, and reading comprehension.