My Philosophy of Teaching Reading by Evelyn Parks Reading is a vital part of our society; it is the foundation of our outlook on l ife

and can determine the success of our children s future. The components of readi ng are built on comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, phonemic awareness, and phon ics. As teachers, we should continue to educate ourselves and acquire new skill s and strategies to help children become effective readers Our children s future is dependent upon how well we teach these five components of r eading. These components go hand in hand with one another. If a student has mastered on e of the components but is lacking in another, then our work is not done. If a child can read with fluency but can t comprehend the meaning of the text that was re ad, then we must find ways to help that child with comprehension skills. The ke y to helping each child reach their best reading potential is observation, plann ing, and assessment. There are several teaching strategies that a teacher can u se to implement reading instruction. As teachers, we must include a variety of instructional practices in our classroom. For example, we can use read-alouds, guided reading, reader s/writer s workshop to teach and assess reading comprehension. T o build vocabulary we can use a word wall, word sorts and define unfamiliar word s when we read to children. To increase phonics and phonemic awareness, we can create a print rich environment; and in addition, we can offer a variety of acti vities that encourages children to manipulate sound and explore letters recognit ion, both oral and written. These are just a few of the tools that teachers can use to teach the five components of reading. We must become familiar with as m any teaching strategies available; I feel that we will need to use them all duri ng our teaching career. Teachers must be mindful of the diverse learning styles of the children in the c lassroom. This can be done by closely observing the children in the classroom. One strategy may not meet the needs of all the children; therefore, we should g et to know our children and pay close attention to their strengths as well as th eir weaknesses. Upon doing this, we can plan and differentiate instructions as needed. Some children may need a more hands-on approach, while others may need higher learning strategies that allow them to use critical thinking skills. As a teacher, I must be sure to use a variety of teaching methods to ensure that every child becomes the best reader possible. Reading is important, thus, youn g children need to acquire the skills to master all of the five components of re ading: phonics, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and comprehension. It is my dut y as an educator to care enough to make a difference and make it happen.