Reading Education Overview

Reading happens when meaning is created from letters and symbols taken in from print. Reading is an active and complex process for the brain, requiring recognition, comprehension, and fluency. When readers identify and recognize the printed symbols and letters, they take in and make meaning from those symbols and letters they are comprehending. Reading fluency occurs when identification and comprehension processes become accurate and automatic.

The number of skills necessary to become fluent in these processes is what makes reading so complex. Some of these skills include:

  • phonemic awareness
  • print awareness
  • decoding
  • sight words & vocabulary
  • background knowledge
  • expression
  • speed and accuracy

After readers learn how to read, they can then read to learn. Reading is, in fact, the singular skill that enables learners to take in the majority of information taught in all other subject areas. Reading can be used for pleasure as well as academics, and is a vital form of communication. Reading is also a critical skill when it comes to writing, another form of communication. Hence, reading comprehension is a critical and necessary skill for achievement and success in many areas of life, including school, career, and health. It is a foundational and fundamental skill for a literate society.

Once fluent in reading, readers use a variety of skills while reading to learn. There are quick reading techniques such as skimming and scanning, which occurs when readers are quickly browsing the text to get a basic understanding or find specific pieces of information. More intricate techniques are intensive reading, which involves reading to learn and evaluate specific information, often involving shorter passages, note-taking and testing, and extensive reading, which often includes reading longer texts for enjoyment.

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Reading Education Resources

The available courses on Study.com are excellent for supplementing reading and writing strategies and skills taught in the classroom, educators looking for new ideas or a review of skills, and additional resources for homeschool curricula. Resources to improve comprehension skills, along with a variety of other learning goals, are available for several grade levels. These Study.com courses can also aid in lesson planning and spark ideas for games and activities related to reading and writing instruction.

Courses to Learn and Teach Reading

An extensive variety of English-Language Arts lessons are available within Study.com's library, covering all areas of reading and ELA instruction, including writing, language, speaking, and listening. These lessons are a great resource for both student review and tutoring and supplemental instruction and lesson planning for educators. Lessons within each grade level course are engaging and standards-referenced.

4th Grade English

Short, standards-referenced lessons make learning and reviewing 4th-grade reading and writing skills easy. The lessons within this course teach skills for comprehending both literature and informational texts. Writing lessons are also included.

5th Grade English

The focus of this course is 5th-grade reading and writing skills. Reading lessons covering both the comprehension of literature and informational texts are available. These lessons are great for student review or supplemental instruction and practice.

7th Grade Language Arts

Lessons found within this course focus on 7th Grade reading and writing skills, including a focus on essay-writing and reading comprehension strategies. Students can find reading practice lessons for two popular book titles: The Outsiders and Hatchet.

9th Grade English: High School

Ninth-grade English Language Arts lessons in this course focus on both reading and writing skills. Reading lessons include literary analysis skills, short stories, and novel exemplars. Writing lessons include narrative, informative, and argumentative styles.

10th Grade English: High School

This 10th Grade English course covers reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Literary and nonfiction text analysis skills are included along with classic dramas and novel examples. Lessons also review skills for the three main styles of writing.

For teachers and parents

Reading Education Lesson Plans for Teachers

Study.com provides a wealth of lesson planning resources for educators. Here, teachers will find lesson plans for teaching subjects such as language arts, literary elements, and literary analysis! The lesson plans include instructional ideas, games, activities, and more.

Lesson plans
  • Language Arts: Lesson Plans & Games

    Elementary and middle-grade teachers will find resources for English Language Arts instruction. Resources for reading skills include print and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension.

  • Literary Elements Lesson Plans & Resources

    These self-paced lessons provide elementary, middle, and high school ELA teachers with lesson planning ideas, activities, games, and instructional strategies. Educators can find resources for various literary elements.

  • Literary Analysis: Lesson Plans & Activities

    Educators will find ideas for engaging students in learning strategies and skills necessary for literary analysis with the resources provided here. Reading and holiday-themed activities and games are included.

  • Activities for Teaching English Language Learners

    This resource is full of lesson plans, activities, and games to help educators better support their students who are English Language Learners in reading, writing, language, speaking, and listening skills.

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Reading Resources for Homeschool Curriculum

Students participating in homeschool education for 7th grade can access a full Language Arts curriculum, including novel guides and resources for parents with Study.com's 7th Grade Language Arts: Homeschool Curriculum. High school level students can also access a wide variety of Language Arts lessons and instruction in both fiction and nonfiction reading and writing skills with resources covering a variety of short stories, novels, and dramas in the 9th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, 10th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, 11th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, and 12th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum. Study.com also has a homeschool curriculum covering reading and writing skills pertaining to AP English Language: Homeschool Curriculum.

Homeschool solutions
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the four types of reading?

    There are four main types of reading: skimming, scanning, intensive reading, and extensive reading. When skimming or scanning, readers look quickly for information within a reading. With intensive reading, individuals read a short text to gain a deep understanding of the passage. Extensive reading involves individuals reading large amounts of text in order to acquire general knowledge about a topic.

  • What is the purpose of reading?

    The purpose of reading is to construct meaning from print. Reading can be used for communication, learning, and entertainment. Reading is a complex process requiring identification, comprehension, and fluency.