Reading is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from them. When we read, we use our eyes to identify written symbols (letters, punctuation marks and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that communicate something to us.
Reading is a complex process at each level of development. Learning to read requires an inter-relationship with sounding, grammar and meaning. Skills in all areas must be honed so that meaning can be achieved.
Three areas are assessed to isolate problems in reading. These areas are; accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Each of these areas contains subskills that are tested so that a detailed approach to reading success is defined.
As reading develops, so does complexity, accuracy and comprehension and ultimately, fluency. Students who aren’t confident in all areas can fall between the cracks and fail in many areas that rely heavily on reading accuracy and comprehension. Reading is the foundation of all learning. Students learn to read in Years Prep to Year Three and then read to learn thereafter.