Beginning reading draws on several connected abilities. This map helps you choose the next useful practice instead of treating every struggle as the same problem.
Sound awarenessNotice and work with sounds in speech.
Phonics & decodingConnect print to sounds and read unfamiliar words.
Word recognitionRead increasingly familiar words efficiently.
FluencyRead connected text accurately and with increasing ease.
Vocabulary & comprehensionKnow words and construct meaning from text.
Keep exploring
Phonics for ParentsUnderstand phonics, letter-sound relationships, decoding, blending, and how these skills connect.Reading FluencyUnderstand fluency and how connected-text practice can support accurate, increasingly efficient reading.Reading VocabularyPractical ways to build the word knowledge children need to understand what they read.Reading Comprehension for Beginning ReadersHelp children make sense of text while continuing to strengthen word reading and language.