Glossary

• Background Knowledge-the skills and knowledge gained by cultural and historical interactions (Great Minds, 2023).

• Comprehension-the capability of understanding something (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).

• Decoding-sounding out words using the knowledge of letters and the sounds that that they make.

• Figurative language- using language to convey a complex meaning or in a way that deviates from the conventional definition (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).  

• Fluency-reading with accuracy, ease, and a smooth rhythm (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).

• Imaginative/Literary text- a creative work that uses words or images to represent ideas, feelings, and mental images, usually meant to entertain (Reading Rockets, 2024).  

• Informational/Expository text- a type of nonfiction writing that presents facts and information about a topic clearly and concisely (Reading Rockets, 2024).  

• Language structure-the semantics and syntax of a language, the part of language that includes word choice that develops meaning and the grammatical rules of language (Great Minds, 2022).  

• Literacy knowledge- the understanding of how to read, write, and speak. 

• Literal language- using words precisely based on the commonly known definition in a direct way (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).  

• Phonics- the connection between sounds and print; instruction that teaches letters and sounds; helps students make print-sound associations (Reading Rockets, 2024).

• Phonological awareness-the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words (Reading Rockets, 2024).

• Print Concepts-the understanding that print carries meaning, that books contain letters and words (Reading Rockets, 2024). 

• Scarborough’s Reading Rope-a visual illustration of the skills students need to develop to become fluent readers; students need language comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge) and word recognition (phonological awareness, decoding, sight word recognition) to become skilled readers (Really Great Reading, 2024).

• Science of Reading-based on science, the three elements you need for effective phonics instruction are a hands-on approach, moving from presentation to practice, showing the direct application to reading and spelling (Really Great Reading, 2024).

• Semantics-the study of word meanings and the historical forms of words (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).  

• Sight Word Recognition-words that are irregular or difficult to decode, these words are usually memorized and recognized by sight.

• Syntax-the way words are put together to form phrases or clauses, the grammatical rules of language (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).  

• Text-to-self strategies-when a student ties the ideas in a text to his or her own life, ideas, and experiences (Facing History & Ourselves, 2020).  

• Text-to-text strategies-when a student connects or relates ideas in one text to another text (Facing History & Ourselves, 2020).  

• Text-to-world strategies-when a student relates a text to events from the world to the past, present, or future (Facing History & Ourselves, 2020). 

• Verbal reasoning- the ability to understand and analyze written or spoken information. 

• Vocabulary-the words known by an individual person (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).

Links for Phonological Awareness Assessments

https://heggerty.org/assessments/

https://www.uen.org/syc/downloads/Handout6_QPAS.pdf

https://thepasttest.com/