Understanding the Five Pillars of Reading

Summary

In this episode, the hosts discuss the five pillars from the National Reading Panel and their history. They explore the confusion that can arise from viewing these pillars as a model of how reading works. The role of fluency and the importance of differentiating instruction for the five pillars are also discussed. The conversation concludes with a reevaluation of the five pillars and a key takeaway to look beyond them. The next episodes will cover three other reading models.

Takeaways

• The five pillars from the National Reading Panel are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• The five pillars should be viewed as interconnected and treated differently in instruction.
• The actual chapters of the National Reading Panel focus on alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension.
• It is important to look beyond the five pillars and consider other reading models.

Resources

• Follow researcher Hugh Catts on Twitter (or X)
• The National Reading Panel Report 
• The Five Pillars of Reading Graphic 
• The Narrow View of Reading, Alan Kamhi 
• The Narrow View of Reading Promotes a Broad View of Comprehension, Hugh Catts 
• ICYMI: Ep. 118: Rethinking Reading Comprehension with Researcher Hugh Catts

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.

Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.