ABSTRACT
Reading involves a broad range of texts, including road signs, emojis, text messages, books, magazines, newspapers, recipes, instructions etc., all of which can be encountered daily. Reading is integral to everyday life; people often do it unconsciously because it is ‘second nature’ to them. Reading is the means by which people enter the worlds of imaginative fiction or enhance their knowledge through factual information. Much of the academic research about reading has concentrated on effective ways to teach reading. Wyse and Bradbury identify three orientations to teaching reading: Synthetic phonics, whole language and balanced instruction. Although reading appears to be a profoundly individual and personal experience, it is also a social practice. Being able to decode words is greatly enhanced by experience of rhymes, word play and songs. Recognising the differences between sounds in words is basis of recognising how these sounds are represented in print. Spoken language underpins all learning, so social interaction is essential to becoming a reader.
