1.

0 | BEST ADVICE | LEADING LEARNING IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

An integrated approach to
explicit reading instruction …
is essential to provide relevant
learning connected to other
experiences.

The ‘Big Six’1 components of reading

Learning to read is one of the most important educational ‘Oral language provides the foundation for
outcomes of primary education. The ability to read learning to read, and is related to overall reading
is fundamental to children’s learning, including their achievement throughout primary and secondary
development of broader literacy skills, and to their schooling’ (Snow et al, 1998; Wise et al, 2007).
future successful participation in society, including the
workforce. Reading is a complex process that involves
both learning to decode texts and learning to make The ‘Big Six’
meaning from texts. In 2000, the US National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) were To be effective readers children need to be able to
tasked with convening a National Reading Panel (NRP) use the six components in combination. An integrated
to review evidence-based research into approaches to approach to explicit reading instruction is therefore
teaching reading. essential to provide relevant learning connected to other
experiences. While teachers may highlight individual
The committee identified five components essential components at different times, they are not a set of
to reading instruction: isolated skills and need to be integrated throughout
• phonological awareness reading opportunities across the day. So, for example,
• phonics while the systematic teaching of phonics is an important
component, it is not sufficient in itself for learning to read.
• vocabulary
• fluency
• comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000). Phonological
Oral language
These align closely with the findings of the National awareness
Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy (DEST, 2005), chaired
by Dr Ken Rowe, and equally supported by the UK
Government’s Final Report into the Teaching of Early The ‘Big
Reading (Rose, 2006). Comprehension Six’ of Phonics
reading
A sixth component—oral language—has been added
to these original five, to reflect the range of research
emphasising the importance of oral language development
to the reading process (Konza, 2011, 2014). Fluency Vocabulary

1
The term, the ‘Big Six’, was first coined in relation to reading by Deslea Konza, and has since gained major currency through the Australian Primary
Principals Association, Principals as Literacy Leaders Program from 2009 and in subsequent publications by Dr Konza and other writers.

LITERACY | The ‘Big Six’ components of reading | [Link]

 DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2

Oral language ‘Explicit phonics instruction is essential for

most beginning and all struggling readers, but
It is impossible to understand the written form of a should always be combined with the many other
language without a wide vocabulary and familiarity with elements of an effective reading program, such
language structures. These are, in most cases, already as rich oral language instruction, and modelled
well developed before a child begins school (Reese, Sparks and guided reading’ (Konza, 2011).
& Leyva, 2010; Skeat et al, 2010), Oral language therefore
provides the foundation for learning to read and is directly Phonics instruction doesn’t help children understand
linked to overall reading achievement. When children are irregular ‘sight’ words such as said, was and saw. These
surrounded by, and included in, increasingly complex words must be learned through rapid word recognition
conversations they: to the point of automaticity. For this reason, sight words
• expand their vocabulary are taught systematically and explicitly, rather than being
• increase the complexity of the language structures addressed only when children encounter these words
they use in texts. Comprehension is supported when plenty of
practice is provided to use these newly learned sight
• become language risk-takers
words in context. When a reader is able to immediately
• develop confidence in the way they communicate recognise some words accurately, they can concentrate
• clarify their thinking and deepen their understanding on the new or less familiar words and focus on making
of their world meaning, rather than just decoding.
• tune into the sounds of standard Australian English
language. Vocabulary
When children know the meaning of a word, they are far
Phonological awareness more likely to be able to read it and make sense of it within a
Phonological awareness refers to the ability to focus on text. Children need to be continually expanding the range
the sounds of speech: it encompasses an awareness of words that they can understand and use in context.
of rhythm, rhyme, sounds and syllables. Awareness
often begins with rhythm, for example, children clapping ‘Vocabulary development is both an outcome of
the beats of their name. The next step is often rhyme: comprehension and a precursor to it, with word
producing rhyming patterns like king, wing and sing meanings making up as much as 70–90% of
demonstrates early phonemic awareness, which is the comprehension’ (Bromley, 2007).
most important subset of phonological awareness in the
development of reading and spelling. It enables children Vocabulary is, for the most part, learned through repeated
to identify and focus on the separate sounds in words: exposure to new words in conversations, by listening to
phonemes. Children then learn to divide syllables into stories, by reading, and through different media (Senechal,
separate sounds and manipulate them to form different 1997). Exposure to words in meaningful contexts helps
words. Letter-sound relationships can then be introduced to make meanings clear and children can then easily add
and children can be taught phonemic and phonics skills them to their word bank. This type of indirect vocabulary
simultaneously from this point. acquisition is particularly effective for children who arrive
at school having been exposed to a wide and rich
Phonics vocabulary. For other children who have a more restricted
vocabulary (Biemuller, 2009), and have less access to the
Phonics involves recognising the relationship between vocabulary of books, the explicit teaching of vocabulary
letters and sounds, sometimes called the ‘alphabetic is essential (Beck & McKeown, 2007).
principle’.
Current empirical evidence supports teaching beginning
and struggling readers using a synthetic approach to
phonics (Johnston & Watson, 2003; Rose, 2006). This approach
teaches single letters and common letter combinations

king
in a discrete, systematic and explicit way. The order in
which they are taught facilitates their blending into simple
words so that children can immediately practice their new

wing
skills, building automaticity and confidence. The research
also recommends that these new skills are reinforced as
early as possible by having children both listening to high

sing
quality texts and reading connected text themselves.

LITERACY | The ‘Big Six’ components of reading | [Link]

 DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 3

Fluency Comprehension is made up of a toolkit of strategies that

should be explicitly taught, namely:
Fluency is not the ability to just read quickly! Fluent
reading is the ability to make reading sound like spoken Predicting and
language: it is reading with appropriate phrasing, expression activating prior Questioning Visualising
and pace. Fluent readers understand and make meaning knowledge
of the text as they read. Core components include
accuracy, pace and expression, and volume. There is a
Monitoring Making
strong correlation between fluency and comprehension. Inferring
and clarifying connections
Even highly competent readers will not be fluent when
the text contains many unfamiliar or technical words
that are new to the reader. Fluency demands that the Determining
Summarising and synthesising
text be at the reader’s independent reading level. This importance
is why beginning and struggling readers need simple
texts at their independent level to build speed and
confidence. When children are sent home with books These strategies are often intertwined but some are more
that they can ‘already read’, they have opportunities to suited to specific reading tasks than others.
develop appropriate expression, to practise chunking and
pausing, and, most importantly, to build their confidence. Look for learning that involves:
On the other hand, reading quickly without attending
Teachers as powerful role models
to punctuation, expression and comprehension is not
fluency: reading rates should not be at the expense When teachers enthusiastically share and talk
of comprehension. about texts, they inspire children to become
‘hooked on books’. When children hear fluent,
phrased and expressive reading, they:
Comprehension • develop and enrich their vocabulary
Effective readers understand the purpose of their reading • hear how fluent reading sounds
and adjust their reading behaviours (skimming, scanning • focus on the meaning of the text
or reading closely for detail) according to that purpose. • hear alliteration, rhyme and word play
They learn that texts look different according to their • experience the joy of listening to a text.
identified purpose, context and audience. Readers’
understanding of the features of different text types Teaching intentionally
helps them make meaning. When reading is integrated throughout the
daily program, intentional teaching may take
Proficient readers monitor their understanding as they read, place, either on an individual basis through 1:1
integrating new information with existing knowledge and conferencing, or through a Running Record, or
experience. They focus on relevant parts of the text to during shared and guided reading opportunities.
distinguish important content from minor detail. They make
and monitor predictions and evaluate content as they read. Differentiation
For this to happen, they learn to adjust their reading The teacher’s role is to respond to each individual
strategies, pace and vocabulary knowledge, as well as their reader’s learning needs and to direct the next
strategies for decoding and chunking to read the unfamiliar. step. An effective approach includes using
knowledge of the reading process to gather
evidence and respond.

LITERACY | The ‘Big Six’ components of reading | [Link]

 DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 4

How can leaders support their staff?

Reflective questions for leaders Further resources

to ask their teachers The ‘Big Six’ components of reading are discussed
in further detail in the following literacy papers:
Looking at and discussing the reading
• 1.1 Oral language
program, you could, for example,
ask the teacher: • 1.2 Phonological awareness

• How do you ensure a balance of the ‘Big Six’ • 1.3 Phonics

components in your teaching of reading? • 1.4 Vocabulary
• How do you provide opportunities for reading • 1.5 Fluency
across the school day? • 1.6 Comprehension.
• What differences do you notice in the range
[Link]
of reading behaviours in your classroom?
• What strategies could you use to enable
learners to become more confident,
successful readers?
• What are the next steps you could take to
challenge and extend readers?
• How do you provide access and opportunities
for learners to engage with texts that are
interesting, exciting and relevant? Is there a
balance of print and electronic resources?
• How often do you model your thinking aloud
to demonstrate independent reading to
your students?
• What evidence do you have of the impact
of your strategies on the reading development
of your students?

LITERACY | The ‘Big Six’ components of reading | [Link]

 DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 5

References
Beck IL & McKeown MG (2007) ‘Increasing young low- Rose J (2006) Independent review of the teaching of
income children’s oral vocabulary repertoires through rich early reading, Department for Education and Skills,
and focused instruction’, The Elementary School Journal, Nottingham, UK
107, 251–271
Senechal M (1997) ‘The differential effect of storybook
Biemiller A (2009) Words worth teaching: Closing the reading on preschoolers’ acquisition of expressive and
vocabulary gap, Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill receptive vocabulary’, Journal of Child Language, 24(4),
pp.360–374
Bromley K (2007) ‘Best practices in teaching writing’,
in LB Gambrell, LM Morrow & M Pressley (Eds), Best Snow CE, Burns MS & Griffin P (1998) Preventing reading
practices in literacy instruction, New York: Guildford Press difficulties in young children, Washington, DC: National
Academy Press
DEST (2005) National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy,
Australian Government, Canberra Skeat J, Green J, Wood P & Laidlaw B (2010) Speech
and Language in The Early Years: A nested study of the
Johnston RS & Watson JE (2003) ‘Accelerating reading
Linking Schools and Early Years project, Royal Children’s
and spelling with synthetic phonics: A five year follow up’,
Hospital Education Institute: Melbourne
Insight 4, Edinburgh: Research, Economic and Corporate
Strategy Unit, Scottish Executive Education Department Wise JC, Sevcik RA, Morris RD, Lovett MW & Wolf M
(2007) ‘The relationship among receptive and expressive
Konza, D (2011) ‘Understanding the reading process’,
vocabulary, listening comprehension, pre-reading skills,
Research into practice, Department of Education and
word identification skills and reading comprehension by
Child Development, Government of South Australia
children with reading disabilities’, Journal of Speech,
Konza, D (2014) ‘Teaching Reading: Why the “Fab Five” Language and Hearing Research, 50(4), pp.1093–1109
should be the “Big Six”’, Australian Journal of Teacher
Education, 39(12), accessed from [Link]
org/10.14221/ajte.2014v39n12.10  

National Reading Panel (2000) ‘Teaching Children to

Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific
Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for
Reading Instruction’, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services

This paper is part of the DECD Leading

Learning Improvement Best advice series,
which aims to provide leaders with the
research and resource tools to lead
learning improvement across learning
areas within their site.
Produced by the Department for
Education and Child Development
1.0 | AUGUST 2016

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LITERACY | The ‘Big Six’ components of reading | [Link]