Article of the Month — For Educators & Parents
NOVEMBER 2026HOW READING DEVELOPS
Featured article — Reading Rockets
Scarborough's Reading Rope & Models of ReadingWhy do some children decode words but not understand them, while others understand everything they hear but can't decode? This Reading Rockets overview walks through the major models of reading — including Scarborough's Reading Rope and the Simple View — that explain how skilled reading is woven from many strands.
Understanding these models helps parents and teachers pinpoint exactly where a reader is struggling, which is the first step toward the right kind of help.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Skilled reading = word recognition × language comprehension; weakness in either strand limits the whole.
- Word-recognition strands grow increasingly automatic; comprehension strands grow increasingly strategic.
- Dyslexia typically affects the word-recognition strands — which are highly teachable.