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THE 5 COMPONENTS OF READING

By: Keara Holmes | Revised 1/1/2026

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I don't know about you, but I had absolutely no idea there were essential components to reading when I began my teaching journey 🤷🏽‍♀️.

I knew that reading comprehension was the end goal (obviously!), but I didn't understand the crucial steps needed to be mastered before comprehension could even take place. If you are a parent feeling lost in the jargon of "phonics" vs. "whole language," you are not alone.

As a Direct Instruction specialist, I’ve learned that reading isn't magic—it's a science. And if we skip a step, the whole structure can wobble.

THE SCIENCE OF READING: IT'S MORE THAN JUST BOOKS

According to the National Reading Panel, there are five major components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Think of these as the ingredients for a cake. If you leave one out, the result falls flat.

A high-quality foundational reading program must include all five components, taught explicitly and in a systematic manner (whoa, that's a mouthful!).

Here is the reality: If you are using a curriculum to teach your child the foundations of reading, and it doesn't include a phonological awareness component, it will not be effective for a struggling reader. If you have a curriculum that teaches "whole language" and doesn't include any decoding practice, it will be equally as bad. There has to be a balance.

Why "Phonics-Only" Isn't Enough

This is exactly why there is often an uproar about "phonics-only" programs!

The Rule: Students need to be taught that spoken language can be manipulated (Phonological Awareness) before teaching them sound-symbol relationships (Phonics).
The Fix: Reading aloud to children and playing rhyming games are great ways to build those initial Phonological Awareness skills! Even better if all of that is included in a comprehensive reading program.

THE HIERARCHY OF READING: WHICH ORDER MATTERS?

I used to collect reading baseline data using only fluency assessments. Big mistake! 🤦🏾‍♀️

Fluency assessments are fantastic... if the student has already mastered their phonics skills. But using a fluency check on a student who hasn't learned decoding rules (like vowel teams or diphthongs) is like asking someone to run a marathon before they can walk.

Here is the correct sequence for teaching these components (The Direct Instruction Way):

Phonological Awareness ( & Phonemic Awareness): The ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words.
Phonics: Decoding instruction that teaches sound-symbol relationships (We do not rely on the "whole-language" guessing approach here!).
Fluency: Reading with accuracy, speed, and expression.
Reading Comprehension: The shift from "learning to read" to "reading to learn."
Vocabulary: Understanding new words found in complex, higher-order texts.

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TROUBLESHOOTING: "MY CHILD ISN'T READING FLUENTLY...NOW WHAT?"

So, what do you do if you give your student a fluency assessment and they aren't reading with accuracy or expression? Don't panic. Just investigate using these quick steps.

Step 1: Check for Phonics Gaps

Can they sound out unfamiliar words? Do they recognize syllable types?

If NO: I give them a comprehensive phonics assessment. I look for gaps in:
- Short/Long vowels
- Consonant blends
- R-controlled vowels
- Multi-syllabic words
- Prefixes/Suffixes
The Solution: Once I know the gap, I tailor my lessons to teach that missing skill. [Check out one of my favorite Direct Instruction resources for teaching phonics here].

Step 2: Check for Phonological Awareness Gaps

If they fail the phonics check, I move down the list (backwards) to Phonological Awareness.

The Test: Can they manipulate sounds in spoken words without seeing letters?
The Solution: We go back to basics with auditory drills.

Step 3: Check for Automaticity (Fluency)

What if they can read the words accurately with the fluency assessment, but they are robotic or slow?

The Issue: They likely need practice with automaticity.
The Solution: Targeted repeated reading practice to build speed and additional phonics instruction.

HOW IT'S DONE AT HOLMES TUTORING

At Holmes Tutoring, we don't guess. We assess.

The five components of reading are systematically and explicitly taught in every cohort. During a student's mandatory first session, they are given a battery of assessments to pinpoint exactly where they fall on this hierarchy.

No Wasted Time: We don't reteach what they already know, placing them in a cohort that matches their zone of proximal development.
No Guesswork: We don't skip steps they haven't mastered. We use a mastery-based direct instruction curriculum to ensure that there are no gaps in learning.
Just Results: We use data to inform instruction. Built-in mastery tests are conducted to determine the progress of each student. If students are progressing, they continue on to subsequent lessons. For students who are not progressing, they continue working on skills until mastery is obtained.

Placing a student in the correct program and level is vital for their growth, confidence, and retention.

Are you ready to stop guessing and start teaching with the science that works? [Fill out the Interest Survey to get started!]

Stay tuned for my 5 components of reading series, which is the foundation of direct instruction taught here at Holmes Tutoring. In later posts, I'll be diving deeper into phonological awareness, phonics, reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

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