Which skill is associated with the comprehension strands of the reading rope?

Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97–110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

— by Rossalyn Day, Grade 4 Teacher

The Rope Model (pictured above) unravels the skills involved in becoming a proficient reader and can be used to identify ways that you can assist your child as they learn to read. The rope is shown as an intertwining of 2 braided cords; both braided cords (Language Comprehension and Word Recognition) are made up of several individual strands.

As a parent, you are ideally situated to assist your child with the Language Comprehension (Upper) Cord. Your main role with the Word Recognition (lower) cord is to ensure that the schooling you choose for your child explicitly and systematically addresses these three Word Recognition strands.

The lower cord: Word Recognition
Effective reading instruction must include developing a student’s

a) awareness of the sounds in words,
b) knowledge of how these sounds are encoded and decoded by the alphabet, and
c) automaticity with frequently occurring words, and especially with those whose spelling patterns are irregular.

The Orton‑Gillingham Practical Linguistics Program at Claremont School addresses all three of these strands with a highly systematic program that is delivered by trained teachers.

The upper cord: Language Comprehension
Your child’s schooling should also include the strands shown in the Language Comprehension strand; additionally however, as parent, you play a crucial and significant role in helping your child acquire and develop the language comprehension skills that are necessary for readers to read with fluency and understanding, to read for learning and pleasure.

1) Background knowledge
Imagine you are being asked to read something about a topic that you have little to no knowledge of – 11th century poetic devices or theoretical quantum physics for example. Imagine how demanding that reading task could feel. Imagine how distracted your brain could become and how challenging it would be to stick with the text and absorb its meaning.

Readers rely on background knowledge to attend to and make sense of what they are reading. When a reader has background knowledge of a subject to draw on, they are more likely to find the text more interesting, easier to remain focused on, and less taxing on their hard-working brains. This is especially important for readers who are still relying heavily on word decoding rather than rapid word recognition. The more knowledge they have about a variety of subjects, topics and ideas, the more likely they will be able to make sense of what they are reading, and the more likely they will add to their body of knowledge.

2) Vocabulary
Perhaps you will remember reading Shakespeare as a student and finding the words and phrases being used particularly challenging to read and understand. If this was the case, how challenging was it to understand or appreciate the plot, themes or humour of these plays?

Similar to background knowledge, an extensive and rich vocabulary enables readers to make sense of what they are reading. Being able to decode words is one thing; being able to match that string of sounds to a thought, idea or concept is another. The richer a reader’s listening and spoken vocabulary, the easier they will find it to read through texts that contain words they have not seen before. If the student can use their growing decoding skills and match their result with a word they already know the meaning of, they will be more confident with their abilities and spend less overall effort on reading a text. Also, there is a greater chance that they will store the way this word looks on a page and will likely be able to access it more easily the next time they come across it.

3) Language Structures (syntax, semantics…)
Syntax is the arrangement of words in a phrase or sentence. The English language has patterns and rules to the way we order our words. It also has some flexibility and variety in acceptable patterns, and even then, speakers and writers are allowed some leeway with these patterns.

Of Yoda from Star Wars you should think! Although Yoda’s speech pattern is unique, his meaning is generally understood by those who have experience with varied syntax structures.

Children acquire varied syntax structures over time, through meaningful exposure to, and discussion of, language being spoken, read to them and presented to them in text. The greater and richer the exposure, the better they will be able to read and understand texts they are reading.

Literacy researcher Hollis Scarborough created a metaphor for explaining the complex processes involved in reading. She described reading by comparing it to the “strands of a rope.” This awesome infographic visually shows the rope’s different parts and how they work together when one is reading. All of the components, or “strands,” together form what Scarborough calls “skilled reading.” Skilled reading happens when students are able to read text fluently while simultaneously comprehending it. In other words, the different parts of the rope work in tandem when a person is able to accurately and automatically read a text and understand it fully. There are two main strands, Language Comprehension and Word Recognition, that are woven together. Each main strand consists of smaller strands that represent reading skills, as outlined below.

Word Recognition

These strands work together to promote fluency, accuracy, and speed as children are becoming competent readers:

Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness refers to the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken sounds in sentences and individual words. It includes creating and identifying rhyming words, counting syllables, noticing alliteration, and finally, phonemic awareness, or the specific ability to recognize and manipulate the smallest units of sound (phonemes) in spoken words.

Decoding

Decoding is what we do when we use the letters in a word to determine what the word says. Decoding includes readers’ knowledge of the alphabetic principle, which states that sounds are represented by written letters/symbols, and that those letters/symbols are associated with specific sounds. A child’s ability to decode also requires that they have an understanding of sound-symbol correspondence.

Sight Recognition

When a child begins to recognize words by sight, it means they no longer have to work to decode the word whenever they come across it. Once a child has seen a word enough times, they begin to store the word visually in long-term memory. This means they can recall it automatically when they come to it.

Language Comprehension

These strands build off of and interact with one another as children practice making meaning of text:

Background Knowledge

This refers to what students already know about a topic before they begin reading about it. Background knowledge plays an important role in contextualizing facts in nonfiction and subject matter in a fiction story. When students have background knowledge of a topic, they are better able to make connections and gain a deeper understanding.

Vocabulary

Students should have an age-appropriate bank of vocabulary knowledge in order to be able to make sense of text. The best way to increase vocabulary is to read books with some unfamiliar words. But when students come across too many words they can’t define, this can leave them feeling frustrated and sap their motivation. Therefore, it’s important to target important vocabulary words periodically.

Language Structures

Language structure refers to the syntax and semantics an author uses in a text. Students should understand basic sentence structure in order to make sense of the order of words in a given sentence. This is called syntax, and it’s an important piece of language structure. Students should also have an age-appropriate understanding of semantics, or the often complex and nuanced meaning different combinations of words can have.

Verbal Reasoning

This refers to one’s ability to understand what one reads by using logic and reasoning. This is an important skill in that it helps students think deeply about a text, considering not just what it says explicitly, but also what is implied.

Literacy Knowledge

This last strand is all about a student’s knowledge of print concepts, such as a book’s layout. This includes everything from pre-reading skills like turning pages, to more advanced skills like navigating the text features of a nonfiction book in order to efficiently find information. It also includes concepts like genre and author’s purpose.

Many educators used to believe that teaching reading skills happened in a particular order; they thought students learned to read by first learning how to decode, then learning comprehension skills and strategies. One of the most important points of the rope metaphor is for parents and educators to understand that these skills are not sequential. They should be addressed concurrently in order for students to become the best readers they can be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Scarborough’s rope important?

The Scarborough’s rope is important because it provides a framework for understanding the different skills that are necessary for reading comprehension. It also highlights the importance of teaching these skills concurrently, rather than in a sequential order.

What are the different strands of the rope?

The strands of the rope are decoding, sight recognition, language comprehension, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge.

What are the two major components in the reading rope?

The two major components of the reading rope are decoding and comprehension. Decoding is the process of translating written words into spoken language, while comprehension is the ability to understand and make sense of what has been read.

What is literacy knowledge in the reading rope?

Literacy knowledge is the ability to understand and use print concepts, such as a book’s layout. This includes everything from pre-reading skills like turning pages, to more advanced skills like navigating the text features of a nonfiction book in order to efficiently find information. It also includes concepts like genre and author’s purpose.

Which are potential types of reading disabilities?

There are a variety of potential reading disabilities that can impede someone’s ability to read. These include dyslexia, which is difficulty with decoding; ADHD, which can make it difficult to focus and pay attention; and auditory processing disorder, which can make it difficult to understand spoken language.

How can the reading rope help students with disabilities?

The reading rope can help students with disabilities by providing a framework for understanding the different skills that are necessary for reading comprehension. It can also help to identify which specific skills a student may be struggling with, so that targeted interventions can be put in place.

What are the strands of the reading Rope?

Which of the following are part of the language comprehension strand of the reading Rope?

What is literacy knowledge in the reading Rope?

What are language structures on the reading Rope?