Reading skills enable readers to understand written language through independence, comprehension, and fluency. They require abilities like phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Chall's Stages of Reading Development describes typical progression from prereading to advanced analysis and judgment. Top ways to improve reading skills include setting aside daily reading time, surrounding yourself with materials, family reading time, variety of activities, using the library, monitoring progress, and getting help for problems.

1. READING SKILLSREADING SKILLS
Mr. Jivhesh R. SaliMr. Jivhesh R. Sali
(Asstt. Professor)(Asstt. Professor)
Section of Extension EducationSection of Extension Education
S.V.G.I. College of Horticulture, JalgaonS.V.G.I. College of Horticulture, Jalgaon
(Ja.)(Ja.)

2. Reading skillsReading skills
IntroductionIntroductionReading skills enable readersReading skills enable readers
to turn writing into meaning and achieve theto turn writing into meaning and achieve the
goals ofgoals of independenceindependence,, comprehensioncomprehension, and, and
fluencyfluency..

3. DefinitionDefinition
Reading skills are specific abilities whichReading skills are specific abilities which
enable a readerenable a reader
to read the written form as meaningfulto read the written form as meaningful
languagelanguage
to read anything written withto read anything written with
independence, comprehension andindependence, comprehension and
fluency, andfluency, and
to mentally interact with the message.to mentally interact with the message.

4. OROR
Reading skills acquisitionReading skills acquisition is theis the
process of acquiring the basic skillsprocess of acquiring the basic skills
necessary for learning to read; that is, thenecessary for learning to read; that is, the
ability to acquire meaning from print.ability to acquire meaning from print.

5. Skills required for proficient readingSkills required for proficient reading
Phonemic awarenessPhonemic awareness : The ability to: The ability to
distinguish and manipulate the individualdistinguish and manipulate the individual
sounds of language. The broader term,sounds of language. The broader term,
phonological awareness, also includesphonological awareness, also includes
rhymesrhymes,, syllablessyllables, and, and onsetsonsets..
 PhonicsPhonics: Method that stresses the: Method that stresses the
acquisition of letter-soundacquisition of letter-sound
correspondences and their use in readingcorrespondences and their use in reading
and spelling.and spelling.

6.  FluencyFluency: The ability to read orally with speed,: The ability to read orally with speed,
accuracy, and vocal expression.accuracy, and vocal expression.
 VocabularyVocabulary: A critical aspect of reading: A critical aspect of reading
comprehension is vocabulary development.comprehension is vocabulary development.
When a reader encounters an unfamiliar word inWhen a reader encounters an unfamiliar word in
print and decodes it to derive its spokenprint and decodes it to derive its spoken
pronunciation, the reader understands the wordpronunciation, the reader understands the word
if it is in the reader's spoken vocabulary.if it is in the reader's spoken vocabulary.
Otherwise, the reader must derive the meaningOtherwise, the reader must derive the meaning
of the word using another strategy, such asof the word using another strategy, such as
context.context.

7. Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension :The NRP:The NRP
(National Reading Panel) describes(National Reading Panel) describes
comprehension as a complex cognitivecomprehension as a complex cognitive
process in which a reader intentionallyprocess in which a reader intentionally
and interactively engages with the text.and interactively engages with the text.
 Rapid automatized namingRapid automatized naming : The: The
ability to quick say the name of bothability to quick say the name of both
letters, objects and colors predicts anletters, objects and colors predicts an
individual's ability to read.individual's ability to read.

8. Chall's Stages of ReadingChall's Stages of Reading
DevelopmentDevelopment
 Stage 0. PrereadingStage 0. Prereading :: The learner gains:: The learner gains
familiarity with the language and its sounds.familiarity with the language and its sounds.
Typically developing readers achieve this stageTypically developing readers achieve this stage
about the age of 6.about the age of 6.
 Stage 1. Initial reading stage, orStage 1. Initial reading stage, or
decoding stagedecoding stage : The learner becomes aware: The learner becomes aware
of the relationship between sounds and lettersof the relationship between sounds and letters
and begins applying the knowledge to text.and begins applying the knowledge to text.
Typically developing readers usually reach thisTypically developing readers usually reach this
stage by the age of 6 or 7.stage by the age of 6 or 7.

9.  Stage 2. ConfirmationStage 2. Confirmation : This stage involves: This stage involves
confirming the knowledge acquired in theconfirming the knowledge acquired in the
previous two stages and gaining fluency in thoseprevious two stages and gaining fluency in those
skills. Decoding skills continue to improve, andskills. Decoding skills continue to improve, and
they begin to develop speed in addition tothey begin to develop speed in addition to
accuracy in word recognition. Typicallyaccuracy in word recognition. Typically
developing readers usually reach this stagedeveloping readers usually reach this stage
around the age of 8. If the developing readeraround the age of 8. If the developing reader
stops making progress during this stage, thestops making progress during this stage, the
individual remains, in Chall's words, "glued toindividual remains, in Chall's words, "glued to
the print."the print."

10.  Stage 3. Reading to learnStage 3. Reading to learn :At this stage, the:At this stage, the
motivation for reading changes. The reader hasmotivation for reading changes. The reader has
enough reading skill to begin to read text inenough reading skill to begin to read text in
order to gain information. Typically developingorder to gain information. Typically developing
children usually achieve this stage in around thechildren usually achieve this stage in around the
age of 9.age of 9.
 Stage 4. Multiple viewpointsStage 4. Multiple viewpoints : The reader at: The reader at
this stage begins to be able to analyze what theythis stage begins to be able to analyze what they
read, understand different points of view, andread, understand different points of view, and
react critically to what they read. Typical readersreact critically to what they read. Typical readers
are developing this skill set during the highare developing this skill set during the high
school years, around ages 14 to 19.school years, around ages 14 to 19.

11. Stage 5. Construction andStage 5. Construction and
judgmentjudgment:At this stage, readers have:At this stage, readers have
learned to read selectively and form theirlearned to read selectively and form their
own opinions about what they read; theyown opinions about what they read; they
construct their knowledge from that ofconstruct their knowledge from that of
others.others.

12. Top 10 Ways to ImproveTop 10 Ways to Improve
Reading SkillsReading Skills
1. Set aside a regular time to read1. Set aside a regular time to read
to every day.to every day.
2. Kept your Surround with reading2. Kept your Surround with reading
material.material.
3. Have a family reading time.3. Have a family reading time.
4. Encourage a wide variety of4. Encourage a wide variety of
reading activities.reading activities.
5. Develop the library habit.5. Develop the library habit.

13. 6. Be knowledgeable about your6. Be knowledgeable about your
reading progress.reading progress.
7. Get help promptly for reading7. Get help promptly for reading
problems.problems.
8. Show enthusiasm for your8. Show enthusiasm for your
readingreading