Kids are enormously different, and there s a maturational component when learning to read, says Bowman. But if they are really having problems, we don t want the difficulties to go on so long that the students are not getting the help they need. Instead, Bowman says, it s easier to catch those children who may develop difficulties by recognizing the risk factors. According to the book, the basic element of reading instruction, regardless of reading level, should cover three areas the identification of printed words, comprehension and fluency. Comprehension means that students understand what they read and can predict upcoming ideas, summarize main points and realize when they don t understand words.
Fluency is the ability to identify words so swiftly that comprehension and enjoyment result.
These are the three basic elements, but there is a need to integrate those things in the instruction. They have to be put together, says Catherine Snow, Henry Lee Shattuck professor in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. Although teachers should be the principle reading instructors, parents can support their children s progress at home by encouraging reading, creating a reading environment and minimizing the risk factors. When parents read and discuss books with their children, they enhance the experience children receive in school by making it a fun and important part of everyday life. If you start early, reading can be identified with something just as pleasurable as eating, Bowman says.