Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/3-1-1-reading-in-science

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: Literacy in Science for Teachers - Seneca Certified](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified.md) › Reading in Science

# Reading in Science

CPD: Literacy in Science for Teachers (by Amanda Fleck), topic 3.1.1

## Reading in Science

To have a greater understanding of science, students need to be able to read and understand complex technical literature.

### Important terminology

![Important terminology](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/e9bd3f2c-458a-4e72-b700-c2d3b17e3131/equalizer-levels-sound-listen-chart-.jpg)

- Phoneme: The smallest unit of sound. Phonemes can be put together to make words. There are 44 sounds in the English alphabet.
- Grapheme: A way of writing down a phoneme. Graphemes can be made up of:
 - 1 letter: e.g **p**.
 - 2 letters: e.g. **sh**.
 - 3 letters:  e.g. **tch**.
 - 4 letters: e.g **ough**.
- Decode: To read a word.
- Encode: To spell a word.

### Decoding → Visual recall → Fluency

![Decoding → Visual recall → Fluency](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/cd7f57d3-e83e-40a3-b66c-a8d152b4d610/christian.boy.jpg)

- As students learn to read, they move through three phases:  
- When students meet an unfamiliar word or phrase, they **decode** it using their **phonic knowledge** and their understanding of similar **word patterns**. 
- Once they recognise what the word says, they move towards the **visual recall** of this word and be able to read it as a whole, on sight. 
- Later, when they have read and understood the word on multiple occasions, it becomes **automatic** for them, and they become **fluent**.

## Test yourself on Reading in Science

- The three phases of learning to read
- What is the correct sequence of phases a child goes through when learning how to read?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/28e73a94-15be-44ba-b967-d3fb671c12fc/section/48708a91-3ec1-4c6f-b990-276b5b633e12/session)

- Previous topic: [2.1.2 Word Tiers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/2-1-2-word-tiers.md)
- Next topic: [3.1.2 Scientific Texts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/3-1-2-scientific-texts.md)

## CPD: Literacy in Science for Teachers (by Amanda Fleck) contents

### 1 Why Literacy Matters in Science Education?
- 1.1 Why Literacy Matters in Science Education?
  - [1.1.1 Why Literacy Matters in Science Education?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/1-1-1-why-literacy-matters-in-science-education.md)

### 2 The Language of Science
- 2.1 The Language of Science
  - [2.1.1 Scientific Vocabulary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/2-1-1-scientific-vocabulary.md)
  - [2.1.2 Word Tiers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/2-1-2-word-tiers.md)

### 3 Reading in Science
- 3.1 Reading in Science
  - [3.1.1 Reading in Science](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/3-1-1-reading-in-science.md)
  - [3.1.2 Scientific Texts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/3-1-2-scientific-texts.md)

### 4 Writing in Science
- 4.1 Writing in Science
  - [4.1.1 Writing in Science](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-literacy-in-science-for-teachers-seneca-certified/4-1-1-writing-in-science.md)