The Importance of Decoding Skills
Many reading programs ignore a proper foundation for stage 1 and 2 above. However, most reading difficulties can
be traced back to insufficient decoding skills. If a child cannot decode the words, he or she cannot read. If it takes
considerable effort to decode, then fluency and comprehension suffer. We give these students all the word attack skills
they need to become effective and competent readers.
Fluency and Comprehension
Students will be guided through a complete program in reading. They will progress step by step through all the levels necessary to
read competently and comprehend on a level at least as high as their appropriate school grade level. The program has
two components. The first teaches students to read written words with fluency, and the second develops comprehension
and proper reading habits. Part two is begun while part one is in progress.
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Learning to Read
Stage 1- Initial Decoding
The majority of students who experience difficulty acquiring decoding skills do so not because of visual perceptual
problems, as commonly believed in the past, but because of problems with the phonological aspects of language.
An understanding of the phonetic structure of the English language is a must if a poor reader is to become a good reader.
Stage 2- Fluency
It is only when the decoding process becomes automatic, that is, both accurate and rapid, that attention is freed for
higher level reading comprehension skills.
Without rapid word recognition one cannot go on to stage 3.
Reading To Learn
Stage 3- Reading for Meaning
Once reading becomes both accurate and fluent, the task of reading becomes one of understanding the content. It is during this stage that students expand their knowledge base.
Students acquire new knowledge when they comprehend the text.
Comprehension increases the knowledge base.
Students who are reading below their grade level lack significantly in their knowledge base.
Stage 4- Relationships and Viewpoints
In stage 4 students are expected to read more complex material from various sources. Effective reading is critical
to success.
A child that has difficulty in reading falls further behind in high school.
Stage 5- Synthesis
Ideally, this is the type of intellectual pursuit that occurs at the college level. The reader synthesizes the
information from a variety of sources to form hypotheses. Formal reading instruction does not accompany stage 5
reading. Stage 5 reading emerges as a result of intensive study in a content area.
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