Processing text is an intricate mental task that happens in various levels. Readers must be able to recognize the words, comprehend the means of the words in a context of a sentence, and put the sentences together to form the entire and correct idea. This can actually happen simultaneously but teachers must start working n the required skills in segregation.

The beginning skills in reading can be segregated in two parts: decoding and comprehending.  The process of identifying words in print is known as decoding.  Do you know that the English language is irregular in its spelling? This makes it a complex task. It is not enough to just sound out the letters phonetically from left to right. Chunking is essential. This means that the reader will look for groups of letters recognizable from other known words. To demonstrate, let us begin with the simple word “star”. When you chunk this word, you can get ar and this can quickly lead you to decode the word part. As you level up, the word partner is now easily recognizable.

In addition to chunking, it is also important to ask yourself as you read if the sound is right, is it something you have heard before or does it make sense.

Connecting text is also important. This is taught more effectively during reading aloud. The teacher is able to model the thinking process and assist the students in identifying previous knowledge and experiences. Encourage the students to make connections with personal experiences and their comprehension of the world.  For example, encourage students to visualize texts to make “movies” in their heads. Guide students to ask questions about the text. When they are able to formulate questions that they think can be answered by the text, they can read more strategically.

By: Ma. Janette G. Manlapaz | Special Education Teacher I | Liyang Elementary School | Pilar, Bataan