Keyword: reading

ABSTRACT: Researchers, educators, and parents have struggled to understand why some learn to read with ease while others face hardship. This review chronicles early theories of reading development, presents emerging research that explores additional factors that are believed to influence reading skill, and then suggests an agenda for future research to inform instructional methods in reading education. A thorough search of the literature was conducted to present perspectives on reading development that highlight critical yet overlooked factors that contribute to reading mastery. The research was compiled, reviewed, and presented in this article to elucidate the findings. Emerging research has identified several areas in which visual perception is essential to reading skills development. Researchers found that visual memory predicts word recognition. Inter-letter spacing and increased spacing between words have been found to improve reading speed. Visual attention is associated with reading accuracy. It is incumbent upon researchers and educators to better understand all the components of reading, so we may help students achieve their reading outcomes. Arguably, the conceptualization of reading assessment and reading intervention should be broadened by considering additional component skills that may impede reading success. Research highlights the importance of visual perception in recognizing letters and words. However, the role of visual perception in reading development has been mostly overlooked in language-based educational curricula. Visual perception should be explored further through research and practice to support students who struggle with reading and do not respond to traditional language-based reading instruction.

ABSTRACT: Reading instruction in primary schools has been at the center of attention for decades. Teachers are expected to be qualified and capable literacy teachers in order to produce proficient readers who are able to identify letters, understand the relationship between letters and sounds, decode the words on the page with automaticity, and fluently read the text while simultaneously comprehending. In order for students to be successful, proficient, and confident readers, teachers must understand the science of teaching beginning reading. The Science of Reading (SoR) is a collection of objective and reliable evidence about how humans learn to read, and ultimately, includes evidence-based instructional approaches that provide learning opportunities for all readers. The purpose of this research was to explore primary grade US teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge regarding early literacy skills incorporating the SoR. The researchers employed a QUAN descriptive design and analyzed the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A sample of 126 kindergarten through second grade teachers’ teaching self-efficacy and early literacy knowledge were analyzed with descriptive statistics and revealed that the majority of participants believed in their ability to teach reading effectively, yet possessed low early literacy knowledge (M = 60%) but had average self-efficacy beliefs. Of significance, respondents may believe they can teach reading effectively yet do not have the knowledge to do so.