Okay… so what actually helps kids learn to read?

That’s a fair question and an important one. But I want to start with this:

Reading is surprisingly complicated.

When children learn to read, they aren’t just picking up a new skill. They’re actually creating new neural pathways in the brain. Unlike speaking, which humans are wired to do naturally, reading has to be built.

That’s why researcher and educator Louisa Moats famously said, “Reading is rocket science.”

I don’t know anything about rocket science but I do know that I’ve been genuinely shocked by how much there is to understand about how children learn to read, especially children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. The more I’ve learned, the more I’ve realized how much reading instruction asks of teachers… and how easy it is for families to feel confused along the way.

The hopeful part is this: research tells us that 90–95% of children have the ability to learn to read when they are taught in the right way.

Trying to explain everything about teaching reading would take far more than one post, so I want to start with the basics.

The Two Big Pieces of Learning to Read

A helpful framework called The Simple View of Reading shows us that reading is made up of two main parts:

1. Word recognition

2. Language comprehension

   

Language comprehension begins developing long before a child ever sees a book. Babies are exposed to the sounds and patterns of language even before they are born, and this part of reading grows through conversation, stories, experiences, and background knowledge throughout our entire lives.

Word recognition is different.

This is the part of reading that does not develop naturally and needs to be taught very explicitly. It’s where children learn how letters and sounds work together, how words are built, and how to read words accurately and automatically.

So let’s start with the basics.

When we’re talking about word recognition, there are a few key ingredients that show up again and again in research and in strong classrooms.

You might hear people lump all of this into one vague phrase like “phonics instruction.”

But there is more to it than that. And research is very clear: this part has to be taught explicitly and systematically.

Here’s what strong early reading instruction typically includes:

1. Phonemic Awareness (Hearing Sounds in Words)

Before children can connect letters to sounds, they have to be able to hear the sounds in spoken language.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice and work with individual sounds, called phonemes, in words.

That includes things like:

• identifying the first sound in a word (/m/ in map)

• blending sounds together (/m/ /a/ /p/ → map)

• segmenting a word into sounds (ship → /sh/ /i/ /p/)

This might seem simple to adults, but for many kids it is not automatic.

2. Phonics (Mapping Letters to Sounds)

This is the one most people have heard of, for good reason.

Phonics is when students learn the relationships between:

• letters

• sounds

• and how those combine into words

This is where kids learn this and more:

• letter sounds

• digraphs (sh, ch, th)

• blends (st, tr, bl)

• glued sounds (am, an, ing)

• vowel teams (ai, ee, oa)

• and later… multisyllabic patterns

Importantly, strong phonics instruction is:

explicit (the teacher doesn’t just hope kids “pick it up”)
systematic (skills are taught in a logical order)
cumulative (kids keep practicing old skills while learning new ones)

This is where a lot of reading struggles begin, not because kids aren’t capable, but because they don’t get enough direct teaching and practice.

3. Decoding (Actually Reading Words)

Phonics is the knowledge.

Decoding is using that knowledge in real time to read words.

This is where children learn the process of reading unknown words instead of memorizing them.

Decoding instruction includes:

• sounding out words left to right

• blending smoothly

• rereading for accuracy

• and learning how to “flex” vowel sounds when needed

This matters because decoding is freedom.

A child who can decode doesn’t need to guess.
They don’t need to rely on picture clues.
They don’t need to wait for an adult.

They can attack a word and figure it out, which is exactly what skilled readers do.

4. High-Quality Practice

This is a big one.

A child doesn’t become a reader because they sat through a phonics lesson.

They become a reader because they get enough practice to make reading feel automatic.

Strong classrooms build in lots of opportunities for students to:

• read decodable words and sentences

• practice patterns again and again

• respond quickly (so it becomes fluent)

• apply skills in connected text

And no shade to the occasional cute phonics craft…

…but the goal isn’t “activity.”
The goal is skill.

The amount of practice needed looks very different across different students.

5. Irregular Words (Yes, We Still Teach Them)

Some words cannot be fully sounded out using patterns students already know.

Words like:

• said

• was

• have

These are often called irregular words (sometimes “heart words” or “tricky words”).

The mistake people make is treating them like:
“Just memorize it.”

But strong instruction still teaches these words explicitly by helping students notice:

• which parts are regular

• which part is tricky

• and what to remember

Because even “sight words” shouldn’t be taught through guessing.

6. Spelling (Yes…Spelling Helps Reading)

Spelling isn’t just a “writing thing.”

Spelling (also called encoding) is one of the BEST ways to strengthen reading because it forces the brain to map sounds to letters precisely.

When kids practice spelling:

• they learn patterns more deeply

• they attend to every sound

• they build stronger word memory

In other words:

Spelling is like phonics weightlifting.

7. Fluency (The Missing Link for a Lot of Kids)

Fluency is when reading starts to sound like talking:

• accurate

• smooth

• reasonably paced

• expressive

Fluency matters because reading requires mental energy.

When kids have to use all their brainpower just to decode each word, they have nothing left for comprehension.

Fluency frees up the brain for understanding.

And fluency comes from:

• strong decoding skills

• plus repeated practice with appropriate text

So… what does it look like when it’s working?

When instruction is strong, you’ll often see students:

• sounding out words confidently

• attempting unknown words without panic

• correcting themselves

• reading with improving speed/accuracy

• spelling patterns they’ve been taught

• making fewer and fewer guesses

What About Comprehension? (And Why It’s Not “Either/Or”)

If you’ve been following along thinking:

Okay… but aren’t kids supposed to love reading? What about stories? What about vocabulary and meaning?

YES. 100%. And I’m so glad you asked.

Because there’s a common misunderstanding that goes like this:

If we focus on phonics and decoding, we’re taking away from comprehension.

But research and classroom reality tell us something different:

Word recognition and comprehension aren’t competing.

They’re both required.

Reading isn’t just decoding.
Reading isn’t just comprehension.

Reading is the combination.

A child needs to be able to:

• read the words on the page (word recognition)
  AND

• understand what the words mean (language comprehension)

If either one is weak, reading becomes hard or impossible.

Two Common “Reading Profiles” Adults Often Miss

One reason reading can be confusing is because two children can look like they’re “struggling with reading”… but for completely different reasons.

1) Strong comprehension, weak decoding

This student often:

• understands stories when read aloud

• has a strong vocabulary

• is great at discussions

• seems smart (because they are!)
  …but struggles to read words on their own

They can understand language, they just can’t access print yet.

2) Strong decoding, weak comprehension

This student can:

• sound out words accurately

• read smoothly

• appear fluent…

…but afterward they cannot tell you what they read.
They may struggle with:

• vocabulary

• background knowledge

• following the meaning of a paragraph

• making inferences

Decoding words isn’t the same as understanding them.

So yes, both parts matter.

What Strong Language Comprehension Instruction Actually Includes

Language comprehension is not a “wait and see” skill.

It’s something we intentionally build through instruction, discussion, and experiences, especially for children who have less access to rich language outside of school (which is many children, and for many reasons).

Strong comprehension instruction includes:

Building Vocabulary (On Purpose)

Vocabulary growth isn’t just “learn one word a week.”

It’s:

• hearing rich words in read alouds

• learning student-friendly definitions

• using words in sentences

• revisiting words across days/weeks

• connecting words to concepts

In other words:
repetition + meaning + use.

Background Knowledge (The Secret Ingredient)

This is one of the most important and least talked about pieces.

Comprehension depends heavily on what kids already know.

A child may read perfectly, but still struggle to understand because the topic is unfamiliar.

For example:
If you’ve never learned about farms, it’s harder to understand a story about barns, harvests, tractors, or crops, even if you can decode every word.

Strong instruction intentionally builds knowledge through:

• science

• social studies

• rich nonfiction texts

• thematic units

• discussion and experiences

This is one reason we can’t reduce the day to “just phonics.”

Listening Comprehension and Discussion

Young children’s listening comprehension is often ahead of their reading comprehension because language develops naturally, but decoding does not.

So good instruction includes:

• interactive read alouds

• story retells

• prediction

• questions that deepen thinking

• building speaking in full sentences

And here’s the beautiful part:

We can build comprehension even when students can’t read independently yet.

A kindergarten student who is still learning letter sounds can absolutely:

• learn new vocabulary

• build knowledge

• discuss ideas

• understand complex stories read aloud

Why It Isn’t Either/Or

Because strong instruction doesn’t choose between:

“teach decoding”
OR
“teach comprehension”

It recognizes something really important:

Decoding is how children access print.

Comprehension is the point of reading.

Good literacy instruction in the early grades includes both in two major blocks:

1. Word recognition block

This is where we teach:

• phonemic awareness

• phonics

• decoding

• spelling

• fluency

2. Language comprehension block

This is where we teach:

• vocabulary

• read alouds

• knowledge building

• speaking/listening

• comprehension strategies (when appropriate)

This is exactly why the Science of Reading movement emphasizes both.

We don’t want kids who can decode but don’t understand.

And we don’t want kids who understand but can’t decode.

We want readers who can:
read the words, understand the meaning, and enjoy the process.

The Best Part?

When students get strong instruction in both areas, you start to see major shifts:

Kids begin to decode more easily…
which allows them to read more…
which builds vocabulary and knowledge…
which improves comprehension…
which makes reading feel more successful…
which makes them want to read again.

That’s the cycle we want.

What We Should Expect (K–2) When Instruction Is Strong

Here’s a research-aligned expectation for the early grades:

Kindergarten: students begin explicit decoding instruction
1st Grade: a heavy decoding focus (this is the “learning how reading works” year)
By the end of 1st Grade: most kids can decode with some independence (not perfect, but functional)
2nd Grade: students consolidate patterns, build automaticity/fluency, and move into multisyllabic reading and advanced word study

This doesn’t mean every child progresses at the exact same pace. It doesn’t mean some students won’t need more time or intervention.

It means this:
If a child is not progressing in these skills, it’s a signal, not a character flaw.
And we should respond the same way we would in any other subject:

We adjust instruction.

But Here’s the Catch: Teachers Can’t Do This Alone

This is the part that gets left out of so many conversations.

When people talk about “good reading instruction,” it often gets framed like this:

If the teacher is skilled enough…
If the teacher plans well enough…
If the teacher works hard enough…

But strong reading instruction isn’t just about a teacher trying their best.

Because here’s the truth: in real classrooms, teachers often have 4–6 different reading skill levels in one room.

Some students are learning letter sounds.
Some are decoding CVC words.
Some are reading multisyllabic words.
Some are reading fluently above grade level.

And if one teacher tries to teach every foundational reading level alone, they would basically be teaching phonics all day long…

which would be fine, except don’t forget these same K-2 teachers also teach math. 😅

Good Reading Instruction Is a System, Not a Miracle

Reading success depends on systems, not just individual teachers.

Strong reading instruction requires:

• a protected daily reading block

• intervention time built into the schedule

• staff allocated intentionally

• high-quality instructional materials

• ongoing training and coaching

• screening + progress monitoring

• teamwork across grades

Because kids don’t just need good instruction.
They need consistent instruction, over time, with support built in when they struggle.

Why Walk to Read Matters

This is why I strongly recommend a model called walk to read.

Here’s the key idea:

Language comprehension works beautifully in a diverse classroom. Students learn from one another through stories, discussion, and shared learning. And many students who struggle with decoding still shine here, making deep connections, using strong vocabulary, and offering incredible insight.

But word recognition is different.

Foundational skills like decoding, spelling, and fluency require targeted teaching and lots of matched practice. When one teacher is trying to meet five or six decoding levels at once, students often don’t get enough instruction at their level.

Walk to read solves that problem in a smart and respectful way.

During a dedicated block, students regroup based on what they need for word recognition so instruction can be tighter, more explicit, and better matched. Then they return to their classroom community for the rest of the day, including the parts of literacy where diverse groups are a strength.

This is exactly what our 2nd grade team does at my school, and it’s one of my favorite examples of strong systems at work. For one hour each day, students “walk” to a classroom that best matches their word recognition needs. With four teachers and three interventionists working together, we can intentionally group students for targeted decoding instruction, while still keeping language comprehension and classroom community intact.

Walk to read isn’t about labels.
It’s about giving kids the instruction they deserve.

Bringing It All Together (And What This Means for Kids)

So what does good reading instruction actually look like in the real world?

It looks like a school day where we protect both parts of reading:

• Language comprehension: building vocabulary, background knowledge, and meaning through stories, conversation, and content-rich learning

• Word recognition: explicit instruction in phonics, decoding, spelling, and fluency

Because reading isn’t simple.

But it’s teachable.

And when the system supports teachers and students the way it should, nearly every child can learn to read.

Reading instruction isn’t about who’s trying hard enough, it’s about whether the system is built to teach it. Kids are capable. Families deserve clarity. Teachers deserve support. And when we get the system right, nearly every child can learn to read.

Ghibli the turtle has been in my life for 17 years.
He’s lived in 3 classrooms and 4 homes.
He’s had a few great escapes over the years, ending up in our hallways and bedrooms without a hint of panic.

When my sister brought him home in 2009, he couldn’t have been more than two inches long.
For years, he stayed small in a tiny tank at my parents’ house.

Then I brought him into my first and second grade classroom.

I upgraded his tank, added flowing water, and gave him more space.
Within weeks, he doubled in size.
Later, when I upgraded again, he had another growth spurt.

At the time, I was shocked at the growth, I’d assumed he was fully grown already.

But he surprised me again and again.

It wasn’t until much later that I understood the bigger picture.

I didn’t set out to teach anything with Ghibli, but looking back, he fit right into the lessons I now see every day in my work with kids:

• Growth looks different at different stages
• Needs change over time
• Calm, steady environments support learning and regulation
• Quiet engagement is still engagement
• Consistency matters, even when progress is subtle

My students loved Ghibli.
They were calmer near his tank.
They checked on him.
They talked to him.
Some of my students who struggled most socially or emotionally connected to him first.

He never demanded attention.
He just existed.
And somehow, that was enough.

Now he lives at home with my own kids, and I go back and forth about bringing him to school again.

And a quick moment for the teachers who do keep class pets; the bunnies, the guinea pigs, the fish, the bearded dragons, the hamsters with suspiciously short life spans and the turtles with surprisingly long ones.

Taking care of a pet is absolutely one more thing, and teachers do not need one more thing.
But for those of you who choose to do it anyway, I see you.

You add fun, responsibility, unpredictability, and a little bit of real life into your classroom, along with the feeding schedules, care plans for weekends and breaks, and emergency tank cleanings.
And somehow, you make it all feel worth it.

Ghibli’s story has evolved right alongside my teaching journey.

One thing, though, has stayed the same.
Steady care adds up, even when it lives in a tank.

It’s also one of the places where good intentions, outdated ideas, and real consequences have overlapped for a long time, often without families realizing it.

A Simple Truth About Reading

Here’s one piece of context that matters:

Only about 30–31% of fourth and eighth graders in the United States are proficient readers, based on recent national assessments.

That number doesn’t mean children aren’t capable.
It doesn’t mean teachers don’t care.
And it doesn’t mean families aren’t doing enough.

It does mean that how we teach reading really matters.

How Reading Was Taught for Years

For decades, many schools believed that reading would develop naturally if children were surrounded by books and encouraged to focus on meaning.

Children were often taught to:

• Look at pictures

• Use context clues

• Guess words

• Focus on the story first

For a time, these strategies could make it appear that children were reading, especially in the early years, when books were predictable and heavily supported by pictures. But when those supports faded and texts became more complex, many students struggled.

What looked like reading early on often wasn’t the same as actually knowing how to read.

And instead of questioning the approach, we often questioned the child.

What Research Has Shown Us

Here’s the part that can feel surprising:

Reading is not natural.

Unlike spoken language, the brain is not wired to read automatically. Reading has to be taught, especially how sounds connect to letters and how words are built.

This research has existed for decades. But for many reasons (teacher preparation, curriculum choices, and long-standing beliefs) it hasn’t always shown up clearly in classrooms.

My Own Literacy Journey

When I first became a teacher, I was doing what I had been taught to do. I loved books. I created meaningful classroom experiences. I encouraged kids to think about stories and try their best.

But over time especially through my training in LETRS and Wilson, something shifted.

I began to understand why some children struggled even when instruction felt thoughtful and caring. I started to see reading not just as something children absorb, but as a skill that needs to be built intentionally.

LETRS helped me understand how reading actually works in the brain. How sounds, letters, and meaning fit together. Wilson showed me what it looks like when instruction is explicit, structured, and supportive.

It felt like being handed language for things I had sensed for years but couldn’t fully explain. And I’m deeply aware that not every teacher has access to this kind of training, which makes me feel especially grateful to have had the opportunity to learn it.

The Podcast That Helped Me See the Bigger Picture

Around that same time, I listened to Sold a Story, a podcast by education journalist Emily Hanford.

The podcast traces how reading instruction in the U.S. moved away from research because systems, training, and materials pointed them in a different direction.

It helped me understand how reading struggles became so common, why families were often confused, and why change has felt so slow, even when the stakes are high.

If reading has ever been something you’ve worried about, for your child, your students, or even your own school experience, I gently encourage you to listen.

Why I’m Sharing This

I’m not sharing this because schools are failing.
Or because teachers aren’t trying.
Or because families did something wrong.

I’m sharing it because understanding how we got here helps us move forward with more compassion, for kids, for parents, and for educators.

What Comes Next

In future posts, I’ll talk more about:

• What strong reading instruction actually looks like

• Why early grades matter so much

• How intervention fits into this picture

• What families should know, without panic

Because when education makes more sense, it feels a little less overwhelming.

Teaching, parenting, and learning,
Kaylee

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Hi, I’m Kaylee.

I’m a part-time literacy specialist, former classroom teacher, and mom of two. I spend a lot of my time thinking about kids. How they learn, what they need, and how often the adults around them are simply doing their best.

My work days are spent helping kids learn to read and supporting teachers. My home days are spent raising two little humans who are learning, growing, and figuring out the world in real time. And somewhere in between those two worlds, I’ve come to understand something that feels both simple and complicated at the same time:

Education affects families deeply, and it’s shaped by people who care deeply, even when the system itself feels complicated and strained.

As both a literacy specialist and a mom, I’m standing in the middle of it. Supporting teachers who give everything they have, watching children I love step closer to school, and carrying many of the same questions families quietly hold.

I’ve spent over a decade working in elementary schools, across different buildings and roles. Along the way, I’ve gained perspective, made mistakes, and learned more than I ever expected to.

As a classroom teacher, I poured so much of myself into my students’ early years. Trying to make school feel safe, meaningful, and joyful, while also helping them build the skills I knew they would need. Teaching is hard. And the longer I’ve worked in education, the more clearly I’ve seen both the dedication inside schools and the cost it takes on the people within them.

And then I became a mom.

That added a new layer to everything. It softened some edges and sharpened others. It deepened my compassion. Not just for students, but for families navigating school for the first time, and for educators doing deeply important work that isn’t always understood or protected.

Right now, I’m watching my own children move closer to the education system and I’m watching my friends do the same. Our kids have grown up together. Some are already dipping their toes into early learning spaces, while others are just on the edge of preschool and kindergarten. Places that begin shaping how they see learning and themselves.

For all of us, this season brings pride, worry, questions, and reflection. Even for those of us who work in education.

That’s part of why I’m here.

I’m not writing to criticize schools.
I’m not writing to defend them.
And I’m certainly not writing because I think I can fix them.

I’m writing because I want to bear witness.

I see the effort.
I see the cost.
I see the families.
I see the kids.

And I want to help us talk about education honestly, with care, nuance, and humanity.

I don’t believe learning struggles are personal failures.
I don’t believe families should need a background in education to understand what’s happening at school.
And I don’t believe perfection is the goal, for kids, parents, or teachers.

What I do believe is that clarity matters.
That early support can change outcomes.
That kids deserve to be understood.
And that education should make sense.

This space exists to share what I’ve learned about reading, school, and childhood in ways that feel human and accessible. I’ll write about learning to read, school systems, intervention, and the emotional side of teaching and parenting. Always from two places at once: the classroom and real life.

In the next post, I’ll share the story of how reading instruction has changed over time, and why that history still shapes classrooms today. It’s a conversation I wish more families had access to.

Thanks for being here.

Teaching, parenting, and learning,
Kaylee

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