ABSTRACT
Reading is undoubtedly the most critical academic skill for students to acquire in order to thrive in school. Reading is the building block for learning in content courses (mathematics, science, social studies) and eventually parlays into one’s ability to successfully participate in civic life. There are two essential phases to reading. The first phase involves the process of learning how to read, while the scond phase involves reading to learn. Logically, individuals who do not achieve success in the first phase will by default experience difficulty in the second phase. Although all reading instruction ultimately aims for success in the second phase, reading to learn, this chapter focuses exclusively on the first phase: learning how to read.
