Components of Reading

While researchers were studying learning disabilities such as dyslexia, they learned how reading develops in both impaired and nonimpaired readers. The following are critical components that are essential for teaching young children to read:
1. Phonemic Awareness-the ability to notic, think about and work with individual sounds. In kindergarten it is the single best predictor of later reading and spellling acheivement.
2. Phonics-this is the relationship between letters or letter combinations in written language. There are approximately 44 sounds .
3. Fluency- Beginning readers need to be fluent in naming letters and knowing their sounds.
4. Vocabulary-The National Reading Panel confirmed that there is a strong relationship between vocaulary learning and comprehension gains.
5. Comprehension-good readers think about what they are reading in complex ways.
(all info. is taken straight out of Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills 2nd Edition by Judith R. Birsh)
So here's my advice, when you are looking into schools, curriculum, teachers, etc. see if the focus is on any of these things...THESE ARE VITAL IN THE EARLY GRADES!!!