I teach English as a foreign language. What is the best way to teach kids how to read English?
Reading is a very complex process, which requires decoding, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Decoding alone is also a complex process involving many sub-skills, including alphabetic knowledge, phonemic awareness skills, phonics skills, and sight word recognition. All of these components are necessary for successful reading. It is important to be sure that there isn’t anything standing in the way, such as difficulty with one or more of the skills necessary for easy and accurate reading. The decoding components of reading must be solid, or the reader will spend too much effort sounding out words and will not be able to derive meaning and enjoyment from the story. The following articles will give you more information concerning the processes involved in reading: • Comprehension Instruction: What Works • Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension • Improving Comprehension for Students with LD You might also find helpful information in our “Launching Young Readers” Series. If you work with
