Reading comprehension doesn’t happen in isolation. Instead, it emerges from the cognitive connections that help children integrate what they see on the page with what they understand about language and the world around them.
The Active View of Reading—a model developed by Drs. Nell K. Duke and Kelly B. Cartwright (2021)—invites educators to think more holistically about what it takes for young readers to thrive. Their framework emphasizes bridging the processes of word recognition and language comprehension to ultimately support reading success.
What Is “Bridging Processes” and Why Does It Matter in Reading Instruction?
Think of bridging processes as the connective tissue between two foundational skills:
- Word recognition: the ability to decode letters and sounds fluently.
- Language comprehension: the capacity to understand spoken and written language.
To become proficient readers, students must do more than master these skills in silos. They need tools to bridge them together. This includes skills like:
- Fluency, which allows for smoother integration of decoding and meaning-making.
- Morphological awareness, which allows readers to break down words into the smallest units of meaning.
- Vocabulary development, which is the process of linking the words children can decode with their meaning.
When we strengthen these bridges, we support the development of readers who can flexibly apply their knowledge to make meaning across texts, topics, and genres.
Bridging Processes in K–2 Literacy Instruction
For classroom teachers, the Active View of Reading model offers both reassurance and inspiration. It confirms that foundational skills like phonemic awareness and decoding remain essential—and that equally important are the opportunities we create for students to build vocabulary, engage in oral language, and connect ideas across content areas.
To foster this integration in early literacy instruction, consider:
- Embedding fluency practice in daily routines. Not just with decodable texts (which are great!) but with poetry, songs, and read-alouds.
- Explicitly teaching word parts (prefixes, suffixes, root words) to boost morphological awareness.
- Using rich language environments to promote vocabulary and background knowledge through read-alouds, rich discussions, and interdisciplinary connections.
- Supporting self-regulation, engagement, and strategy use, helping students monitor their understanding and persist through challenging texts.
By taking a more integrated approach to early literacy, an approach that intentionally supports the connections between word recognition and language comprehension, we can help young readers build the confidence and skills they need for reading success.
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Saxon® Reading Foundations is a supplemental series for grades K–2 that aligns to the Active View of Reading and explicitly teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency in a way that is supported by scientific research and proven effective by years of classroom success. Learn more about how Saxon Reading Foundations aligns to the Active View of Reading in our whitepaper.
