Journey Trail Notes Simple View of Reading
Welcome to the Journey To Better Reading Trail Notes Blog! This blog will make it easier for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers to find practical tools grounded in research to ensure that every moment you spend trying to improve reading does just that. We will start with one of the most important topics for anyone supporting a child’s reading growth: how the brain actually learns to read. Understanding this process helps parents, teachers, and homeschoolers know why certain approaches work and what to prioritize. Whether you teach in a classroom, guide learning at home, or support readers as a caregiver, you’ll find insights here that make reading instruction clearer and more purposeful.
Literacy Landmark
Spotlighting strategies and research to support all adults who are a part of a child’s reading growth.
Reading does not develop naturally in the brain. Children must build new neural connections that link speech sounds, print, and meaning. Understanding how this process works helps parents, teachers, and homeschoolers know what to prioritize and why certain approaches are effective. One of the most influential frameworks explaining this process is the Simple View of Reading. A fantastic place to begin to understand reading development better is by watching this short video, “How the Brain Learns to Read.”
The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) explains that reading comprehension depends on two essential components:
Decoding × Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension
Both components must be developed intentionally. If either decoding or language comprehension is weak, reading breaks down.
Key research insight:
Decades of neuroscience and reading research show that explicit, structured instruction supports the brain in forming the sound–symbol–meaning connections required for fluent reading. This is why approaches grounded in phonics, vocabulary, and rich discussion are effective, especially for struggling readers.
Resource Roadmap
Offering practical books, guides, and downloadable resources that families, teachers, and homeschoolers can use right away.
A foundational, research-aligned resource for understanding how reading develops:
Speech to Print by Louisa Moats
This book explains the speech and language foundations of reading, clarifying why explicit instruction in sounds, letters, and word structure is critical for reading success across ages.
🖋️ This recommendation is not sponsored and reflects evidence-based practice.
Practical Pathways for Supporting Reading Development
All strategies below can be used at home, in classrooms, or in homeschool settings with minimal materials.
Trail Tots (Birth–5)
Try “Repeat and Extend.”
When a child says a single word (e.g., cup), repeat it slowly by sound, then blend it, and extend the language:
“Yes, a blue cup with cold water.”
Why it works:
Builds phonological awareness while expanding vocabulary and sentence understanding.
Trailblazers (Grades K–3)
Blend one word during reading.
Pause during story time to blend a word aloud (“/s/…/ă/…/t/ → sat”), then use it in a sentence and ask a simple W-question.
Why it works:
Strengthens decoding pathways while reinforcing meaning and comprehension.
Trail Masters (Grades 4–8)
Be a word detective.
Break multisyllabic words into meaningful parts (e.g., con + struct). Discuss how each part contributes to meaning.
Why it works:
Supports accurate decoding, vocabulary growth, and deeper comprehension through morphology.
How to Use This Across Settings
Parents: Use brief, focused language moments during reading or daily routines.
Teachers: Integrate decoding and language work within the same lesson block.
Homeschoolers: Build consistent routines that connect sound work, reading, and discussion.
Why this matters
Reading instruction is most effective when it aligns with how the brain learns to read. When decoding and language comprehension are intentionally developed together, students gain stronger, more sustainable reading skills.
