Kate Brown
Speech, Language & Learning
Speech Pathology Services
Reading
Reading is the process of gaining meaning from written texts. It involves working out what the words say (decoding) and understanding the language used (reading comprehension).
Decoding
Fluent readers can read both familiar and unfamiliar words. Familiar words are often called “sight” words. Unfamiliar words need to be decoded. Decoding is the ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships and patterns to correctly identify written words. The skills needed to do this are:
Fluent readers are able to decode quickly and effectively. Poor readers may have difficulty in one or more of these areas.
Reading Comprehension
Fluent readers use their knowledge of word meanings, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation and text structure to understand, predict and infer the meaning of the writer. Poor readers may have difficulty in one or more of these areas.
Kate Brown Speech, Language & Learning identifies the areas of strength and weakness in reading ability at all levels and provides strategies and practices in each area to achieve competency in reading.
• translation of letters into sounds
• blending sounds to form words
• transfer of decoded words and letter patterns into sight words
• knowledge of word meanings.