The Building Blocks of Reading: Foundational Reading Skills Every Teacher Should Know
Post #1 in the “Starting Strong: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Reading” Series
Foundational reading skills are the heart of effective literacy instruction—and the key to helping every child become a confident, capable reader.
When I first started teaching, I thought teaching reading meant just giving kids books and encouraging them to “sound it out.” I had no idea how much science was behind learning to read—until I discovered the five pillars of reading instruction. That discovery changed everything for me.
I went from feeling overwhelmed and uncertain to finally understanding what my students actually needed to become confident readers. And I want the same for you.
This post is the foundation of our Starting Strong series—perfect for beginning reading teachers or any educator looking to refresh their literacy instruction with proven, research-backed practices. We’re diving into the five essential components of reading instruction and how they work together to build strong, independent readers.
If you’ve ever asked, “Where do I start with reading instruction?” or “How do I teach reading in a way that really works?”—you’re in the right place.
Let’s start with the question every reading teacher should ask: What do kids need to become skilled readers and build strong foundational reading skills?
The Five Pillars of Reading Instruction - Foundational Reading Skills
To teach reading effectively, you need a strong understanding of the five pillars of reading instruction. These aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the foundational reading skills every student must master in order to become a skilled reader. Whether you’re a brand-new teacher or someone revisiting your approach to literacy, these five components will guide every part of your instruction.
Let’s walk through each one and look at what it is, why it matters, and a few tips to help you teach it with confidence
1. Phonemic Awareness
What it is:
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds—called phonemes—in spoken words. It’s all done without print. Think of it as tuning your students' ears before they ever pick up a pencil or a book.
Why it matters:
It’s the very first layer of reading development—kids must hear and work with sounds before they can match them to letters.
It’s one of the strongest predictors of long-term reading success. Students who struggle with phonemic awareness often struggle with decoding and fluency later on.
Tips for Teaching Phonemic Awareness:
Play simple oral games like “What’s the first sound in map?”
Practice segmenting and blending sounds with words students already know.
Keep it playful and quick—no print needed! Use your fingers, chips, or even movement to represent sounds.
🧪 Real Classroom Results:
In one 6-week small group intervention, I used structured phonemic awareness routines 3x per week with first graders reading below grade level. By the end of the cycle, 85% of students improved in letter and sound recognition, and several made gains in decoding accuracy of 20% or more.
These aren’t just good results—they’re replicable with consistent, research-aligned instruction.
➡️ What’s Next: Stay tuned for our next post in the series: “Why Phonemic Awareness is the Key to Reading Success.” We’ll show you how to teach these skills effectively and introduce tools like Orthographic Mapping Sheets and Phonics Word Ladders to build phoneme-grapheme connections.
2. Phonics
What it is:
Phonics is the process of connecting letters to sounds and using those connections to decode words. It's how kids learn to “crack the code” of written language.
Why it matters:
Without phonics, students are left guessing. Decoding gives them access to text.
Systematic phonics instruction—taught in a logical sequence—helps students gain confidence and accuracy in reading.
Tips for Teaching Phonics:
Explicitly teach letter-sound relationships using a structured sequence.
Provide decodable texts so students can immediately apply what they’ve learned.
Blend and segment words daily using word lists, whiteboards, or sound boxes.
➡️ Coming Soon: In Post #3 of the series, “Phonics Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Letter-Sound Relationships,” we’ll break down the most effective ways to teach phonics and share free resources like Phonics Word Lists and Short Vowel CVC Lessons.
3. Fluency
What it is:
Fluency is the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and expression. It’s not just about reading fast—it’s about reading in a way that sounds like spoken language and makes sense.
Why it matters:
Fluent readers can focus on comprehension instead of getting stuck decoding every word.
It’s the bridge between word recognition and understanding.
When kids read smoothly, they build confidence and are more likely to enjoy reading.
Tips for Teaching Fluency:
Use repeated readings of familiar texts to build automaticity.
Model fluent reading aloud—your tone, pacing, and phrasing make a difference.
Try partner reading or echo reading to give students extra practice with support.
4. Vocabulary
What it is:
Vocabulary is the collection of words students must know to communicate effectively—both by understanding and using them.
Why it matters:
A strong vocabulary supports comprehension. Students can’t understand what they read if they don’t know what the words mean.
It’s especially important in content areas like science and social studies.
Vocabulary also helps students express themselves more clearly in speaking and writing.
Tips for Teaching Vocabulary:
Pre-teach key vocabulary before reading a new text.
Use visuals, real-life examples, and context clues to bring new words to life.
Foster curiosity by creating a “wonder word wall” or inviting students to notice new words during read-alouds.
5. Comprehension
What it is:
Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading—making meaning from the text. It’s what we’re working toward with every other pillar.
Why it matters:
Students need to go beyond decoding to understand, connect, and think critically about what they read.
Good comprehension skills empower students to learn from text, not just read it.
It’s what makes reading purposeful and rewarding.
Tips for Teaching Comprehension:
Ask open-ended questions that spark discussion and reflection.
Use graphic organizers like story maps or main idea charts to help students organize their thoughts.
Practice summarizing, predicting, and retelling to deepen understanding.
Teaching Reading with the Science of Reading: Practical Tips
Now that you understand the five pillars of reading instruction, you might be wondering: How do I actually bring all of this into my classroom?
Here’s the good news. You don’t have to reinvent your literacy block! The key is aligning your routines with what the Science of Reading tells us about how kids learn to read. Let’s break it down:
✅ Begin with Strong Phonemic Awareness Routines
Phonemic awareness is your launch pad. Spend 5–10 minutes each day on oral sound activities—no letters needed! Try:
Sound isolation: “What’s the first sound in run?”
Segmenting: “Say the sounds in lap.”
Blending: “What word is /s/ /u/ /n/?”
These quick, high-impact routines are perfect for morning meetings or small groups—and lay the groundwork for phonics success.
✅ Build Systematic Phonics into Your Daily Schedule
Don’t leave phonics to chance. Teach letter-sound relationships in a clear, consistent order.
With UFLI or any structured literacy program, each day should include:
Explicit instruction of a new sound or pattern
Blending practice with word lists
Dictation and encoding practice
Application through decodable text
📎 Need help getting started? Grab my free sample from my Phonics Lessons and Intervention Plan at the end of this post.
✅ Use Decodable Texts that Match Your Phonics Scope
Kids should be reading what they’ve been taught. That’s where decodable books come in.
Look for texts that align with your current phonics focus. For example:
If you’re teaching short /a/, use stories with words like cat, map, and jam
Reinforce high-frequency words you’ve taught, like was or you
Decodable texts give students the confidence to apply their learning and see themselves as readers.
✅ Practice Fluency with Repeated Readings and Modeling
Once kids can decode, they need practice to become fluent.
Try these:
Reread the same decodable passage over a few days
Read aloud to model prosody and phrasing
Invite students to echo read or partner read
Fluency isn’t built in a day, but with consistent exposure, it grows steadily.
✅ Teach Vocabulary through Direct Instruction and Context
Kids won’t just pick up vocabulary. They need intentional instruction.
Choose 3–5 keywords before a read-aloud
Use visuals or act them out
Talk about the words during and after the story
Vocabulary grows best when kids see and use new words in meaningful ways.
✅ Guide Comprehension with Structured Discussions
Finally, remember that reading isn’t just about saying the words. It’s about understanding them.
Ask text-based questions that require thinking, not guessing
Use graphic organizers to help students map their thinking
Model how to summarize or make inferences
Even our youngest readers benefit from rich conversations about books.
By intentionally building these strategies into your day, you’ll be teaching reading the way the brain learns best. That’s what the Science of Reading is all about—and it’s how we help every child become a confident, skilled reader.
🎯 Want ready-to-use resources aligned to these tips? My Science of Reading Phonics Intervention materials are available now in my Resource Shop and TPT store.
💬 Quick Check-In:
I’d love to hear from you!
Which reading pillar do you need the most support with this week?
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
👉 Drop your answer in the comments below or reply to the weekly email—I read every one!
Get the Tools to Start Strong
You don’t have to figure this out on your own.
When I first learned about the five pillars of reading instruction, I remember feeling equal parts excited and overwhelmed. I wanted to do it right, but I needed tools that were simple, structured, and ready to use. That’s exactly why I created these resources: to help beginning reading teachers feel confident and supported as they align their instruction to the Science of Reading.
Here are a few favorites to help you get started:
🎁 Option 1: Free Phonics Intervention Sample
Looking for a Science of Reading structured intervention? This free sample from my Phonics Lessons and Intervention Plans is perfect for Tier 2, small group, or catch-up support. It includes word mapping, blending lines, decodable practice, and lesson prompts to take the guesswork out of planning.
👉 Click here to download your free sample
🎁 Option 2: UFLI-Aligned Decodable Readers
Using UFLI in your classroom? These UFLI-Aligned Decodable Readers are built to match your exact scope and sequence. No more searching for the “right” texts. Just grab, print, and teach with confidence.
👉 Click here to explore the decodables
📖 Want to see the five pillars in action?
Don’t miss this related post: 5 Pillars of Literacy in Action: Lessons That Teach Reading.
What’s Next in the Series?
Feeling excited to dig deeper into each pillar? You’re in the right place.
This post gave you the big picture, but now we’re zooming in. In the next two posts, we’ll walk step-by-step through the first pillars of reading instruction so you can feel more confident and more equipped to teach them.
Here’s what’s coming next in the Starting Strong: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Reading series:
✅ 2. Phonemic Awareness: The First Step in Reading
Post Title: Why Phonemic Awareness is the Key to Reading Success
What You’ll Learn: What phonemic awareness really is, why it’s essential to early reading, and how to teach it using no-print, easy-to-implement routines. We’ll also share tools like Orthographic Mapping Sheets and Phoneme Segmentation Activities to get you started.
✅ 3. Phonics 101: Teaching Letter-Sound Relationships
Post Title: Phonics Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Letter-Sound Relationships
What You’ll Learn: How to teach blending, decoding, and mapping phonics instruction to your scope and sequence. You’ll get sample Phonics Word Lists, Complete Phonics Lessons, and tips for using decodables the right way.
So whether you're a brand-new teacher or just ready to reset your instruction using the Science of Reading, these next posts will guide you one step at a time.
Make sure to join the email list so you don’t miss when each post (and free download!) goes live.
Final Thoughts
Teaching reading isn’t just about handing kids books and hoping for the best. It’s about building a strong foundation—one that’s rooted in research, guided by the Science of Reading, and supported by proven practices.
When you understand the five pillars of reading instruction, you’re no longer guessing. You’re teaching with purpose. You’re giving students the tools they need to become confident, capable readers for life.
Whether you're a beginning reading teacher or you're hitting the reset button on your literacy instruction, this is where it all begins.
🎯 Ready to start strong?
👉 Download your free phonics intervention sample
👉 Explore the UFLI-Aligned Decodables
Let’s build skilled readers—one lesson, one strategy, one pillar at a time.
Together, we’ve got this. 💛
