Is There Only One Way to Teach Reading? Learning to Read in a Different Way

Some students learn to read nearly on their own.  But most students need reading instruction.  That instruction is often phonics based.  Although phonics works well for most students, it does not work for all students.   In spite of giving their best effort, some students cannot grasp phonics as initial reading instruction.  Is there only one way to teach reading? This issue ofNASET’s Practical Teacher (written by Matthew Glavach, Ph.D. and Warren Pribyl, M.A.) will look at the issue of learning to read in a different way. In their article, they present a successful reading instruction program that uses a different way to teach these students, one that is compatible with the way they learn.  Unlike reading programs in which students struggle to sound out words, the program builds on students’ natural language abilities to develop word recognition and reading fluency in the context of interesting reading books.  It includes a list of books used in the program. It also includes the books grade levels for teachers to use in designing a program.

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