Literacy: What is it? How can we teach it?

What is Literacy and How Can We Teach It?

Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write fluently.

How can we teach all children to read accurately, rapidly, and with comprehension by the end of third grade? The National Reading Panel Report provides an answer to this question.

The National Reading Panel Report (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], 2000) summarized several decades of scientific research that clearly shows effective reading instruction addresses five critical areas:

1.       Phonemic awareness

2.       Phonics

3.       Fluency

4.       Vocabulary

5.       Comprehension