The Two Routes to Learning to Read

21st January 2024

There are two recognised routes to learning the read- the phonological route and the orthographic route.

The Upper Circuit Route

In the phonological route, a reader will rely on phonological processing to to read a word-they will sound each sound as a strategy to decode a word, especially unfamiliar words or non-words. It involves recognising and manipulating phonemes and then mapping them to their written symbols. This route is particularly important in the early stages of learning to read. Synthetic phonics forms part of this process.

Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondence

In the phonological route, readers learn to associate the letters (graphemes) in written words with their corresponding sounds (phonemes). For example, in English, the letter “b” is associated with the sound /b/.

Sound Blending

Readers use their knowledge of letter-sound relationships to blend individual phonemes together to form recognizable words. This involves connecting the sounds in sequence to pronounce the whole word. For instance, blending the sounds /c/, /a/, and /t/ together produces the word “cat.”

Segmentation

Conversely, when encountering a word, readers may use segmentation to break it down into its individual phonemes. This process is helpful for unfamiliar or multisyllabic words. For example, segmenting the word “elephant” into /e/, /l/, /e/, /f/, /a/, /n/, and /t/.

Decoding

Readers rely on their ability to decode words by translating written symbols into the corresponding sounds. This process allows them to understand the pronunciation and meaning of the words.

Why is the Phonological Route Difficult for Some?

There are 44 sounds for 26 letters. The same digraphs can make different sounds. The same sound can be made using a different digraph. If a learner is dyslexic and has an auditory processing deficit or a compromised visual memory, the level of challenge is even higher. Visual processing difficulties might result in the confusion of different graphemes or the graphemes themselves moving on the page (magnocellular deficit).

How Can We Help to Overcome These Difficulties

Phonemes and corresponding graphemes need to be introduced in a particular order. Only when a phoneme is recognised by the learner, should the corresponding grapheme be introduced. Likewise, phonograms, digraphs and trigraphs should be taught in a particular sequence. muti-sensory approaches should be used and there should be a lot of opportunities for overlearning. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

The Lower Circuit Route

This is the orthographic, or  ‘whole word,’ route. A reader will recognise the patterns of a word without the need to phonologically process. This more direct route works by the orthographic processor receiving input from the printed text by identifying letters and recognising the sequential pattern of words. The information is transmitted to the meaning processor which works in synergy with the context processor so that the word or sentence is understood.

When Do Learners Use this Route?

Skilled readers will use this route without the need for phonological decoding, unless they encounter an unfamiliar word.

Sight Words

In the whole word approach, there is an emphasis on teaching students to recognise and memorise high-frequency words by sight. These words are often referred to as “sight words” or “high-frequency words” and are expected to be recognised instantly without the need for phonetic decoding.

Contextual Reading

Whole language advocates believe that reading should be taught in meaningful contexts, using real literature and authentic texts. Students are encouraged to use context clues, pictures, and their own background knowledge to understand the meaning of the text.

Language Experience

The whole language approach often incorporates language experiences, where students engage in activities such as discussions, storytelling, and writing. Learners will use these experiences as a basis for reading instruction.

Reading for Meaning

The primary goal of the whole word approach is to foster reading for meaning and comprehension. Rather than focusing solely on decoding, students are encouraged to understand and enjoy the text they are reading

Why is This Route Difficult for Some?

There can be difficulty with word recognition when learners confuse similar looking words. There can also be difficulty with discriminating between words that have the same pattern as a learner might not have stored then in their lexicon. Dyslexic learners might have visual difficulties which would lead to faulty lexicons or they might recall the sequence of sounds and letters out of sequence from their long-term memory.

How Can We Help to Overcome These Difficulties

Practise analytic phonics; promote recognition of parts of words; build up and consolidate sight words through overlearning. Repetition is key

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