5 Components of Reading, Defined and Connected
Component 1: Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic Awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual
sounds in spoken words.
Related to classroom activities:
- Breaking words into individual sounds during vocabulary activities
- Using pronunciation guides
- Word Wall activities
- Teacher modeling
Component 2: Phonics
Phonics instruction teaches the relationship between the letters of written language
(graphemes) and the individual sounds of spoken language (phonemes).
Related to classroom activities:
- Sounding out new words during Read Alouds
- Modeling self-correcting strategies during Read Alouds
- Showing films or videos using closed-captioning and subtitles
Component 3: Vocabulary
Vocabulary refers to the words we must know to communicate effectively. This includes
speaking, reading, listening, and writing vocabulary.
Related to classroom activities:
- Using word walls and word wall activities
- Using graphic organizers
- Student thesauruses
- Upgrading words in writing
- Self editing
- Teaching differences between the 4 types of vocabulary
Component 4: Comprehension
Comprehension is the reason for reading. We read to learn, to be entertained, to escape,
and for instruction.
Related to classroom activities:
- Using thinking maps
- Chapter questions, student made questions
- Modeling Think Alouds
- Teaching and using questions and "queries"
- Incorporating the "big 8" of comprehension
- Using as many before, during, and after activities as possible
- Using Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Complexity Classification to monitor
question difficulty
Component 5: Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and expression. These are jnown as
prosody and automaticity. When reading, you recognize words automatically, and group
words quickly to gain meaning.
Related to classroom activities:
- Modeling read alouds
- Playing books on tape
- Watching newscasts
- Teaching "chunking"
- Using scripts whenever possible
- Allow repeated practice and performances
Michael Boergers
Reading Coach
Jackson Middle School