The Science of Reading says that to become successful readers, children need to know two equally important sets of skills:
1. Meaning-related skills
Children need the vocabulary and background knowledge to make sense of the print they read, and to form ideas and understanding that go beyond what’s written on the page. Meaning-related skills include:
- Conversation – As a child engages in conversation, they can draw on their knowledge and experience to make new connections, form new knowledge and build language skills. The better a young child’s conversational skills, the easier it will be for them to understand what they read later on.
- Vocabulary – This skill grows like a snowball – the more words a child knows, the easier it is for them to learn new words and to gain meaning from stories.
- Story comprehension – Understanding not only what is happening in a book, but why it is happening, and being able to read “between the lines” to uncover the author’s intention.
2. Decoding skills
Children need to know how to decode print to sound out words and to make sense of what’s on the page. Decoding skills include:
- Print knowledge – The ability to identify letters, words and symbols on a page and to understand how print works – for example, understanding that print is read from left to right and that letters combine to make words.
- Phonological awareness – Understanding that words can be broken down into syllables and smaller sounds, and that letters correspond to certain sounds.
