Audrey's Reading Toolkit
Glossary
This is a glossary of terms related to language and literacy development.
It includes the term, its definition, and a related illustration or graphic when appropriate.
Table of Content
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Science of Reading
The Science of Reading refers to a body of research from various fields, including education, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience.
It explains how individuals learn to read and provides evidence-based practices for reading instruction (Ordetx, 2021).
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There are 5 elements that are key to success in reading: Comprehension,
Fluency,
Vocabulary,
Phonics,
Phonemic Awareness.
Scarborough’s Reading Rope
Scarborough’s Reading Rope is a model developed by Dr. Hollis Scarborough.
It represents the various components of skilled reading.
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The rope consists of two main strands:
- Word Recognition
- Language Comprehension
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These strands are interdependent and crucial for proficient reading (Staake, 2024).
Picture from https://www.weareteachers.com/scarboroughs-rope/
IA created Picture
Phonics
Phonics is an instructional approach that teaches beginners how to read and write by connecting spoken sounds (phonemes) with written letters (graphemes).
It’s essential for decoding words and understanding spelling patterns, particularly in early literacy.
When teaching phonics, fostering phonological awareness skills alongside it is crucial. These skills involve recognizing and manipulating spoken sounds, laying the groundwork for effective phonics learning.
(Region 10 Comprehensive Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison et al., 2020)
Phonological awareness
Phonological awareness is the foundation of reading.
It is the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of sentences and words (Johnson, n.d.).
It includes skills like identifying rhyming words, segmenting sentences into words, blending and segmenting onset-rimes and being aware and working with individual sounds in a word (which is called phonemic awareness) (Reading Rockets, n.d.).
Print concepts
Print Concepts refer to a child's ability to recognize and understand how written language is organized and used. They lay the foundation for successful reading and writing experiences, allowing children to navigate texts effectively and engage with written language.
Here are some of principles of the print Concepts:
Understanding Print means children realize that print (letters, words, sentences) conveys information and has a purpose. They recognize that written language is connected to spoken language.
Basic Print Conventions refers to students knowing that books have front and back covers, that pages are turned from left to right and that letters combine to form words.
Book Handling skills apply to learners being able to identify the title of a book, locate the top and bottom of a page and understand how to turn pages.
Punctuation Awareness skill means the child is able to recognize punctuation marks (e.g., periods, question marks, exclamation points) and understand their role in conveying meaning.
Environmental Print recognition relate to recognizing print in everyday surroundings (e.g., signs, labels, logos) and connecting them to real-world contexts.
(Reading Rockets, n.d.-e)
Decoding
Decoding skills refer to a student's ability to:
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Recognize the basic sounds and sound blends (called phonemes) that make up a word.
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Blend the sound together to read the word.
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Understand the meaning of the word.
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Recognize the word in context.
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Determine whether the word is used correctly in a sentence.
(Morin, 2020)
Sight Word Recognition
Sight word recognition skills refer to a student’s ability to instantly recognize and read specific words without needing to decode them. Recognizing them by sight helps students read them accurately and increases the fluency.
Sight words are often high frequency words or words that are irregularly spelled or don’t follow typical phonetic rules.
High-Frequency Words are word commonly used words that appear frequently in texts. Examples include “the,” “and,” “is,” and “said.” Students benefit from recognizing these words instantly to improve reading fluency.
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Irregular Words are some words that cannot be easily sounded out due to irregular spelling patterns. Examples include “was,” “come,” and “said.”
Fluency
Fluency is a critical part of literacy instruction. It serves as the bridge between foundational skills and comprehension, allowing students to read effortlessly and engage with texts effectively.
It encompasses:
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Reading Rate and Accuracy: Fluency involves reading with speed and accuracy. Proficient readers can recognize immediately some words but also process every letter and rely on letter-sound correspondences to identify unfamiliar words.
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Prosody and Expression: Prosody refers to the rhythm, intonation, and expression used during reading. Fluent readers convey meaning by using appropriate prosody, making the text sound natural and engaging.
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Comprehension: Fluent readers focus on constructing meaning from the print rather than struggling with individual word recognition. Well-developed fluency supports understanding and overall reading proficiency.
(Florida Department of Education et al., 2022)
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Background knowledge
Background knowledge refers to the information and experiences that a reader brings to a text before reading it. It includes prior knowledge about the topic, related concepts, and familiarity with relevant vocabulary.
This knowledge significantly influences reading comprehension. The more a reader knows about a topic, the easier it is to understand and retain information from a text (Butterfuss et al., 2020).
Text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text strategies
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A text-to-self connection occurs when a reader relates the ideas in a text to their own life experiences, emotions, or beliefs. It helps them engage with the material and make personal connections, enhancing comprehension.
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A text-to-world connection relates a text to events in the broader world, including historical events, current affairs, and societal issues. It helps readers understand the context and relevance of the text beyond their personal experiences.
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A text-to-text connection involves linking the ideas in one text to another text. It could be comparing themes, characters, or concepts across different texts. It deepens understanding by drawing parallels between related materials.
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(Morrison et al., 2009)
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Vocabulary
Vocabulary refers to the set of words and phrases that a person understands and uses in their language. It includes both general words and domain-specific terms.
A rich vocabulary enhances reading comprehension, as it allows readers to decode words, infer meanings, and grasp nuances.
(Reading Rockets, n.d.-f)
Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the process of constructing a coherent mental representation of the information in a text. It involves understanding the main ideas, making inferences, and connecting details.
Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, allowing readers to extract meaning and engage critically with texts (Butterfuss et al., 2020).
Language Structure
Language structure refers to the organization and patterns of words, phrases, and sentences within a language.
It encompasses grammar rules, word order, and sentence construction.
It is one of the upper strands of the Scarborough reading rope in the language and comprehension part.
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(Maryland Language Center, n.d.)
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Syntax
Syntax is the study of how words and morphemes combine to form larger units such as phrases and sentences.
It focuses on sentence structure and word order. It is an element of the language structure thread on the Scarborough reading rope.
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(Maryland Language Center, n.d.)
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Semantics
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Semantics explores the meaning of words, phrases, sentences, and texts.
It includes both denotative (literal) and connotative (associative) meanings.
It is an element of the language structure thread on the Scarborough reading rope.
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(Maryland Language Center, n.d.)
Verbal Reasoning
In Scarborough’s Reading Rope, the Verbal Reasoning strand involves a reader’s capacity to think about a text and infer meaning from both explicit and implicit information. It involves understanding and reasoning using concepts expressed through language and emphasizes logical thinking and problem-solving.
This skill requires cognitive processes like making logical inferences, integrating ideas across texts, and interpreting abstract language. Verbal reasoning contributes to a student’s overall growth as a skilled reader by helping them deeply understand a topic.
(Great Minds, 2022-a)
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Literal Language
Literal language uses words according to their direct, straightforward, or conventionally accepted meanings.
It confers meaning to words as they have by themselves, maintaining a consistent meaning regardless of context.
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(Watson, 2019)
Figurative Language
Figurative language goes beyond literal meanings and definitions.
It uses words in ways that deviate from their conventional meanings to convey a more complex or heightened effect.
Figurative language often involves techniques like simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification.
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(Watson, 2019)
Literacy Knowledge
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https://www.helloliteracy.com/post-gzk3k/the-five-pillars-of-early-literacy
Literacy knowledge refers to understanding the purposes, features, and conventions of texts. It contributes to skilled reading and builds throughout a lifetime.
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Even before students enter school, they start building literacy knowledge by understanding basic concepts like how to hold a book and recognizing front and back. As they progress, exposure to various genres and explicit instruction in text structures help students navigate different texts effectively.
Literacy knowledge is a vital strand in the science of reading and one of the upper strands of the Scarborough reading rope in the language and comprehension part, enhancing comprehension and facilitating engagement with diverse genres.
(Great Minds, 2022-b)
Imaginative/Literary Texts
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Imaginative or literary texts refer to creative works that use language to evoke emotions, tell stories, and present fictional or poetic experiences.
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These texts often include elements such as characters, settings, plots, and themes, and they aim to entertain, inspire, or provoke thought in readers. Examples include novels, short stories, poems, and plays.
(Reading Rockets, n.d.-g)
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Informational/Expository Text
Informational or expository text provides factual information, explanations, analysis evidence without expressing the author’s personal opinion (e.g. textbooks, articles, and reports).
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The primary purpose of expository writing is to educate the reader by presenting clear facts and ideas, using focused language, moving from general facts to specific details. It avoids personal anecdotes or storytelling.
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(Reading Rockets, n.d.-g)
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