A Modest Proposal for a Synergistic View of Reading

This think‐piece presents a synergistic view of literacy development. It argues that literacy learning and teaching best occur through interactive processes in which the various components, from phonological awareness to comprehension, support and strengthen one another. It also considers literacy development in terms of four broad, fluid stages: emergent, novice, transitional, and post‐transitional readers. While this view recognizes the critical role of mechanics in early reading, it also emphasizes the importance of oral language, knowledge building, vocabulary, and comprehension for younger learners. And while the importance of learning from text is seen as critical for older students, we simultaneously highlight the value of complex word recognition for this population as well. Finally, we suggest that, by thinking about the components of literacy learning as synergistic, the field may be able to move away from a view that centers particular aspects of reading as the primary skill for literacy learning and toward an integrated approach that allows us to understand—and better meet—our students' complex learning needs.