This page will tell you about six different approaches to reading instruction: phonics, guided reading, sight word, linguistic, language experience, and multisensory.

The best way to teach reading is through systematic phonics with decodable texts. Listen to the podcast, Sold a Story, to find out more!

The Phonics Approach

THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO TEACH READING! Get my 900 Pages of Decodable Texts and see my links to free decodable stories.

ReadingTask Emphasized	Decoding – translate letter symbols into speech sounds.
Motivational Approach	Increased skill in decoding printed words.
Decoding Approach	Synthetic – begins with individual speech sounds and builds into words.
Story Content	Stories are based on the sounds of the words being learned.
Vocabulary Selection	Words are selected for their phonic regularity and phonics rules.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Phonetically regular words with short vowel sounds are considered the most accessible, and phonetically irregular words are the most difficult.
Mode of Response	Emphasis on oral reading (some programs require a moderate amount of writing).
Structure and Completeness	Varies with the program from very structured to more teacher-developed.

The Guided Reading Approach

DO NOT TEACH THIS WAY. Listen to Sold a Story!

ReadingTask Emphasized	Comprehension – understanding the meaning of the printed words. Students are directly taught strategies for both decoding and comprehension, emphasizing comprehension.
Motivational Approach	Increased proficiency in reading and comprehending texts using various strategies. Books at all levels are inviting and engaging.
Decoding Approach	Analytic – emphasis on context clues, structural analysis, configuration clues, and Synthetic – begins with individual speech sounds and builds into words. Students are taught a variety of strategies to decode.
Story Content	Stories are interesting and increase in length and difficulty as the levels rise from A-Z. Students read REAL literature, even in kindergarten.
Vocabulary Selection	Words selected to be taught are generally Tier 2 words. These words appear in various texts and mature language users’ written and oral language.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Words whose meanings the children are most likely to know are most accessible; words not in their speaking vocabularies are considered most difficult. In many cases, vocabulary is pre-taught if the words cannot be figured out in context. Words with the most common spelling patterns (CVC, CVCe) are considered the most accessible; inconsistent and irregular spelling patterns are the most difficult.
Mode of Response	Whisper and silent reading are emphasized over oral reading. Lots of book discussions rather than interrogation.
Structure and Completeness	Considered a complete program, but there is no formal guide; it is teacher-developed. I recommend reading the CAFE book by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser and exploring Fountas and Pinnell’s materials.

More on Guided Reading

How to Teach a Guided Reading Group | Mrs. Judy Araujo, M.Ed., CAGS (mrsjudyaraujo.com)

Guided reading falls under the Fountas and Pinnell cueing system method, which is now frowned upon. Students do NOT sound out words when they are stuck; instead, as students read, you ask them to figure out unknown words by looking at the picture, looking at the beginning letter sound, thinking about what would look right/sound right/make sense or skipping the tricky word/reading on/going back. This makes reading a guessing game.

The purpose of guided reading is to teach students to read with understanding and fluency. In addition, children learn how to think about a text and apply strategies in other reading situations. Guided reading is one part of the literacy program. The entire program also includes language/word study and a writing workshop.

Guided reading involves using leveled reading materials with support. Guided reading lessons allow teachers to work with students in small groups with a common need. Assessments like the Developmental Reading Assessment 2, running records, and informal reading inventories give teachers and parents data.

The goal of guided reading is to develop independent readers by teaching students to internalize reading strategies. Therefore, a guided reading lesson should focus on just one strategy for several lessons until the student has mastered it and can articulate it. 12 Comprehension Strategies and Strategy Objectives for Teachers can help you!

According to Gail Boushey and Joan Moser of the CAFE Book, there are 5 goals to accomplish in guided reading:

CAFE ~ C is for Comprehension.
A is for Accuracy.
F is for Fluency.
E is for Expanding Vocabulary.

Each goal has strategies to focus on until the student has mastered and internalized them. Again, ALWAYS have the students articulate the strategies they are using. I HIGHLY recommend these FREE CAFE Strategy cards. Teachers should use the gradual release of responsibility model in guided reading lessons.

Guided reading groups are very fluid, frequently changing based on need.

In guided reading groups, students read at their instructional level, meaning the books provide a moderate challenge. In addition, readers are grouped with students of similar abilities, needs, and strengths. Thus, instruction is tuned to the needs of the particular students.

Guided reading instruction should be fun and engaging for readers.

The Sight Word Approach

The Sight Word Approach is the old basal readers from the ’70s and ’80s ~ the big textbook with the corresponding workbook such as Dick and Jane.

See my FREE sight word stories!

ReadingTask Emphasized	Comprehension – discovering the meaning of printed words.
Motivational Approach	Enjoyment of the story content and its relationship to the children’s lives.
Decoding Approach	Analytic – emphasis on context clues, structural analysis, and configuration clues.
Story Content	Stories are related by a central group of characters involved in typical childhood experiences.
Vocabulary Selection	Words are selected based on their frequency of use by typical children in each age group.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Words whose meanings the children are most likely to know are most accessible; words not in their speaking vocabularies are considered most difficult.
Mode of Response	Silent reading is emphasized over oral reading; there is little writing.
Structure and Completeness	They are usually offered as a complete program, including a detailed teacher’s guide and many supplementary materials.

The Linguistic Approach

These are predictable stories; patterns can be seen in words and stories.

ReadingTask Emphasized	Decoding – translating printed words into spoken language.
Motivational Approach	Increased skill in reading words.
Decoding Approach	Analytic – begins with the spelling pattern of the whole word; students discover relationships between spelling patterns and speech sounds.
Story Content	The spelling pattern of words relates to stories.
Vocabulary Selection	Words are selected based on their spelling pattern.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Words with the most common spelling patterns (CVC, CVCe) are considered the most accessible; inconsistent and irregular spelling patterns are the most difficult.
Mode of Response	Emphasis on oral reading; generally low amount of writing.
Structure and Completeness	Highly structured and marketed as a complete reading program.

The Language-Experience Approach

This is based on the child’s language. Preschool, kindergarten, and grade 1 teachers can easily add this to their day.

ReadingTask Emphasized	Comprehension – understanding the meaning of the printed word.
Motivational Approach	Enjoyment of story creation and story content.
Decoding Approach	Analytic – begins with the whole word and gradually works back to letters and syllables; emphasis is on context clues with other decoding skills.
Story Content	The students write stories based on their shared experiences.
Vocabulary Selection	No selection; vocabulary is based on the students’ spoken language.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Words most common in the children’s speaking vocabulary are considered most accessible; those not in the children’s speaking vocabulary are considered most difficult.
Mode of Response	Silent reading first, then oral with a high amount of writing.
Structure and Completeness	Considered a complete program with a low amount of structure.

The Multisensory Approach

Wilson and Orton-Gillingham are multisensory programs used in special education. Students learn using more than one sense at a time. Multisensory involves the use of visual, auditory, and tactile pathways. Learning becomes faster and easier when several brain parts record the same fact.

ReadingTask Emphasized	Decoding – translate letter symbols into speech sounds.
Motivational Approach	Increased skill in decoding printed words.
Decoding Approach	Synthetic – begins with individual speech sounds and builds into words with a strong emphasis on motor feedback.
Story Content	Stories are related to the sounds and motor patterns being learned.
Vocabulary Selection	Words are selected by their phonic regularity and the phonics rules they follow.
Vocabulary Difficulty	Phonetically regular words with short vowel sounds are the easiest, while phonetically irregular words are the most difficult.
Mode of Response	Emphasis on writing and other motor activities and oral reading.
Structure and Completeness	Highly structured programs often paired with other reading programs.

Edited on 03/05/2024

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