The Reading Lab

What the research says about learning to read, in plain words

Parents hear a lot of advice about reading. Here we go to the research itself, read it, and tell you what it found, how strong the evidence is, and what it does not tell us.

Research page 1
What does the research say works when teaching a child to read?Two large U.S. reviews point the same way. Here is what they found and how strong the evidence is.6 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 2
Does teaching a child to sound out words really help them read?Eighteen studies met the standards of a U.S. review. Here is what they showed, and what they did not test.6 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 3
Does it help to teach a child to hear the separate sounds in words?Seventeen studies met the standards of a U.S. review, and all seventeen found positive effects.7 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 4
Is it normal for a child to mix up b and d, and what helps?An expert panel says it is common in the early grades, and sets out one letter at a time as the way through.5 findings · 1 source read →
Research page 5
Why can my child say the letter sounds but not blend them into a word?An expert panel names this exact problem and sets out what to teach.8 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 6
Should I teach letter names or letter sounds first, and how many at a time?The guide teaches each letter with its sound, a few at a time.7 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 7
Should my child memorize sight words or sound them out?Sound out the regular ones. Teach the irregular ones as whole words.7 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 8
Is it a problem when my child guesses words from the picture or the first letter?A U.S. expert panel discourages guessing, and says why.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 9
My child reads slowly, one word at a time. What builds fluency?Reading aloud again and again, with feedback, has the best support.8 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 10
My child can read the words but does not understand. What helps?Sounding out is needed but is not enough. Here is what the panel recommends.8 findings · 1 source read →
Research page 11
My child can read but cannot spell. What does research say helps?Breaking a word into its sounds helps children spell, the panel found.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 12
Does handwriting practice help, and how should letters be taught?Short practice, letters formed the same way each time, then real writing.8 findings · 1 source read →
Research page 13
Does reading aloud to my child help them learn to read?It builds spoken language and knowledge of print. It is not the same as teaching the code.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 14
Does talking with my child and building vocabulary matter for reading?The guide says the language of books usually has to be taught. The evidence is rated minimal.7 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 15
Should my beginner read decodable books or ordinary story books?A good case for decodable books at the very start. Not forever.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 16
Can children pick up reading naturally, the way they learn to talk?A major review says the idea that letters stand for sounds has to be taught to most children.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 17
What are the early signs of dyslexia, and what kind of teaching helps?Two research reviews on the signs, the risk factors and the teaching that has support.8 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 18
Is short daily practice better than long sessions?Studies used short, regular sessions. A direct test of short against long was not found.6 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 19
Does rhyming matter for learning to read?Rhyme is an easier first step. The teaching that helped reading most worked on single sounds.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 20
How do I help my child read longer words?The guide gives a routine: find the parts you know, say them, say them fast, check.7 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 21
My child is in second or third grade and still a beginner. What helps?Phonics still helped older struggling readers. So did reading aloud again and again.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 22
Does one-to-one or small-group tutoring help a struggling reader?Extra teaching in small groups has strong support for decoding.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 23
Should sound games be done with letters or only by ear?Sound work done with letters had bigger effects on reading.7 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 24
What can I do at home that has evidence behind it?In a review of 14 studies, parents teaching specific skills had the largest effect.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 25
Do reading apps and computer programs help young children learn to read?A positive average effect, with large differences from app to app.6 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 26
My child is learning English. What helps them learn to read in English?The guide reports English learners learning to read at the same rate in K to 2.8 findings · 2 sources read →
Research page 27
When do children usually learn to read, and when should I worry?The sources name risk signs and school screening. None gives an age to worry.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 28
Does being read to at home predict how well my child will read?Shared reading helps language. Its effect on reading skills is less sure.6 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 29
Which early skills best predict how well a child will learn to read?Letter knowledge and awareness of sounds are among six early skills with the strongest links.8 findings · 3 sources read →
Research page 30
Why does my child forget letter sounds, and what helps them stick?The guides do not explain the forgetting. They do set out what to do.8 findings · 2 sources read →

How we write these pages

  1. We read the source itself, not a news story about it.
  2. Every finding on a page names its source and where in the source it is found, so you can check it.
  3. We say how strong the evidence is, in the words of the people who reviewed it.
  4. We say what the research does not tell us. Most studies are done in schools, and no study can say what one child needs.
  5. If we get something wrong, tell us at hello@sounditoutreading.com and we will correct the page.

Good questions

Who writes these pages?

Sound It Out writes them. We are not researchers. Our job here is to read the research carefully and report it in plain words, with the source beside every finding so you can check us.

What do “strong”, “moderate” and “minimal” evidence mean?

They are the ratings given by the expert panel of the What Works Clearinghouse, part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, in the practice guide we cite. We repeat the panel’s rating. We do not make up our own.

Does this replace advice from my child’s teacher or doctor?

No. Research says what tends to help groups of children. Your child’s teacher knows your child. If you are worried about your child’s reading, hearing, sight or development, talk to the school or your doctor.

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Is reading hard for your child, and you are not sure why?

“Behind in reading” can mean ten different things, and each one needs different help. Check off what is true for your child. You will see the one thing to work on first, and what can wait.

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