Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)

Balanced literacy instruction is designed to provide a comprehensive approach to teaching reading, ensuring that students develop various essential skills through multiple methods. A main component of balanced literacy instruction is the alphabetic principle, which refers to the understanding that letters represent sounds and that these sounds combine to form words. This concept is fundamental in teaching students how to decode words, which is crucial for developing reading fluency. Incorporating the alphabetic principle effectively supports other areas of literacy development, such as phonological awareness, since recognizing the connection between letters and sounds enhances phonemic skills. While memorization techniques and drill and practice can play a role in learning to read, they are not core components of balanced literacy, as this approach emphasizes a more integrated and varied methodology rather than rote learning. So, the focus on the alphabetic principle within a balanced literacy framework assists students in making connections necessary for proficient reading and writing.