“The 5 Pillars” in Reading

The science of reading has become more well-known in recent months, and there are 5 areas – 5 pillars – that are critical to understanding the complexities of reading.

1. Phonemic Awareness

2. Phonics

3. Vocabulary

4. Fluency

5. Comprehension

The science of reading, of course, goes back numerous years, but what may be most well known is the monstrous publication from the  year 2000. The Department of Education and Congress named the Reading Panel to study the research to define the most effective strategies for reading instruction.  Numerous professionals – reading research scientists, university professors, teachers, administrators, and parents – were involved in reviewing all of the most pertinent research on reading.  A summary of their findings is here:

https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/findings

We will dive into each of these categories each week so that everyone feels more comfortable discussing what we mean we we talk about the science of reading.