Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read

In 1997, Congress asked NICHD, through its Child Development and Behavior Branch, to work with the U.S. Department of Education in establishing a National Reading Panel that would evaluate existing research and evidence to find the best ways of teaching children to read. The 14-member panel included members from different backgrounds, including school administrators, working teachers, and scientists involved in reading research. The report summarized research in eight areas relating to literacyThe ability to understand oral language, read fluently, and write well. instruction: phonemic awarenessThe ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken words. instruction, phonicsReading instruction that focuses on the alphabetic principle — the systematic, predictable relationship between spoken sounds (phonemes) and written letters (graphemes) — to allow readers to identify or “decode” words. instruction, fluencyFluency is the ability to read a text accurately, at a good pace, and with proper expression and comprehension. instruction, vocabularyKnowledge of the meaning and pronunciation of words. instruction, text comprehensionMaking meaning from something that is heard (oral comprehension) or from print (reading comprehension). instruction, independent reading, computer assisted instruction, and teacher professional development. The National Reading Panel’s analysis made it clear that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates: explicit instructionTeaching children in a systematic and sequential manner. in phonemic awareness, systematic phonics instruction, methods to improve fluency, and ways to enhance comprehension.