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Foundational skills to support reading for understanding in kindergarten through 3rd grade

April 26, 2021

This video from Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest discusses the most effective evidence-based practices for teaching decoding to early readers. Strategies in this video are based on the What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade.

One of the main reasons that some students struggle to read proficiently is that, when presented with an unfamiliar word, they cannot accurately decode it. To decode, students need a strong foundation in both phonemic awareness and phonics. This video explains the need for systematic, direct, and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics and clearly defines what systematic, direct, and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics looks like.

REL Midwest also produced a viewing guide [174 KB PDF icon] that is available for download. To learn more about our work in this area, visit the Midwest Early Childhood Education Research Alliance webpage.