(1) Phonological and Phonemic Awareness - Phonological awareness is a broad skill that includes identifying and manipulating larger units of oral language - parts such as words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and individual sounds (phonemes). Phonological awareness refers to the ability to focus on and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Acquiring phonemic awareness is important because it is the foundation for spelling and word recognition skills. Phonemic awareness is one of the best predictors of how well children will learn to read during the first two years of instruction.

(2) Word Decoding and Phonics - Decoding is the ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly pronounce written words. Understanding these relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and to figure out words they haven't seen before. Phonics is one approach to reading instruction that teaches students the principles of letter-sound relationships, how to sound out words, and exceptions to the rules.

(3) Vocabulary - Vocabulary refers to the words we must understand to communicate effectively. Vocabulary plays a fundamental role in the reading process and contributes greatly to a reader's comprehension. A reader cannot understand a text without knowing what most of the words mean. Students learn the meaning of most words indirectly, through everyday experiences with oral and written language. Other words are learned through carefully designed instruction that teaches important words.

(4) Fluency - Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order to understand what they read, children must be able to read fluently whether they are reading aloud or silently. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add intonation appropriately. Their reading is smooth and has expression. Children who do not read with fluency sound choppy and awkward. Those students may have difficulty with decoding skills or they may just need more practice with speed and smoothness in reading.

(5) Comprehension - Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately understand written material, children need to be able to 1) decode what they read, 2) make connections between what they read and what they already know, and 3) think deeply about what they have read. One big part of comprehension is having a sufficient vocabulary, or knowing enough word meanings. Readers who have strong comprehension are able to make decisions about what they read - what is important, what is a fact, what caused an event to happen, which characters are funny. Thus comprehension involves combining reading with thinking and reasoning.

A collaborative project of Reading Rockets, The Access Center, and LD Online

http://www.readingrockets.org/target