Reading is a complex skill, and if you stop to think about how many words an average adult reader can recognize - anywhere from 30,000 to 70,000 - it’s clear that rote memorization could never be the key to developing such an extensive vocabulary. After all, even the best teachers can only impart a few hundred words directly. So, how does a person acquire such a vast and varied lexicon?
The answer may lie in the Self-Teaching Hypothesis, a groundbreaking theory in reading research. Proposed by David Share, this hypothesis suggests that once a learner acquires basic skills in phonics - specifically, the understanding of grapheme-phoneme correspondences - they are able to independently decode new words. In doing so, they slowly but steadily expand their word recognition and vocabulary, often without direct instruction.
At its core, the Self-Teaching Hypothesis posits that the process of learning to read is not just about being taught words one by one. Instead, once a learner masters the fundamentals of letter-sound correspondence (phonics), they can begin to teach themselves new words. As proficient readers decode unfamiliar words - by recognizing letters, matching them to their corresponding sounds, and blending them together - they internalize the patterns of those words. These patterns are then stored in their "orthographic memory," which allows them to recognize the words more quickly and efficiently in future encounters.
Efficient orthographic mapping, the process by which a reader stores new words into their long-term memory, requires that the reader be able to correctly decode, say, and recognize words repeatedly. This process is essential for expanding a reader's lexicon and improving word recognition. However, decoding new words can be a challenge for many readers, especially for English learners or students with reading difficulties.
This is where Readable English comes in. By making every word in the English language decodable (phonetically transparent), Readable English supports the process of orthographic mapping by providing built-in diacritical markings. (A “diacritical marking” is a symbol placed above or below a letter to change its sound, such as the ñ used in Spanish or the ç used in French.) These markings allow readers to accurately decode, say, and recognize unfamiliar words, ensuring that they can efficiently store those words into their lexicon. The scaffolding provided by Readable English is especially beneficial for students who need extra support, such as those with reading disabilities or English learners, as it provides a systematic approach to decoding that builds confidence and fluency.
To understand how the Self-Teaching Hypothesis works, let’s break it down into its key elements:
With Readable English, the process of decoding and orthographic mapping becomes more accessible and efficient. Because every word in Readable English is designed to be phonetically transparent, readers can immediately apply their understanding of grapheme-phoneme correspondences to decode unfamiliar words. The clear and consistent pronunciation guide ensures that readers are able to "hear" the word correctly, reinforcing the connection between the written word and its spoken form.
As readers encounter and decode new words, they store these patterns in their orthographic memory, which then allows them to recognize these words more quickly the next time they encounter them. This ability to automatically recognize words, without needing to decode them each time, is a crucial component of fluency and reading comprehension. Through repeated exposure to decodable words, readers continue to expand their vocabulary and deepen their understanding of the patterns that govern written English.
The Self-Teaching Hypothesis explains how independent reading allows students to build an ever-growing vocabulary. With each new word a reader decodes, they don’t just learn that specific word. They also gain insight into the patterns that govern written language. For example, they might learn common prefixes, suffixes, and word endings, or they might notice how certain letter combinations (like "th" or "ea") tend to appear together. This knowledge can be applied to other unfamiliar words, and over time, it allows the reader to recognize increasingly complex words with ease.
Even more exciting, according to Share, this process isn’t just something that happens in the early years of learning to read. It continues throughout a person’s life as they encounter new vocabulary through reading. As readers encounter words that they’ve never seen before, they use the same decoding skills to figure out their pronunciation and meaning and add them to their orthographic memory. This process is one of the reasons why readers can continue to expand their vocabulary well into adulthood.
With Readable English, this process is even more efficient. Since every word is decodable, readers are able to encounter and master a wider range of vocabulary without being overwhelmed by the complexities of English spelling patterns.
The Self-Teaching Hypothesis doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it fits within a broader concept known as statistical learning. Statistical learning is the process by which humans infer patterns from the environment. In the case of reading, written language is highly patterned, and readers use these patterns to decode new words. The more a reader is exposed to written language, the more they can identify and make use of these statistical patterns to aid in their decoding.
For example, if a reader consistently encounters certain letter combinations, such as "sh" or "tion," they start to recognize these as consistent patterns in the language. Through statistical learning, readers don’t need to memorize each word individually, they can use these patterns to predict and understand unfamiliar words. This is the essence of self-teaching: once the reader has a solid foundation of grapheme-phoneme correspondences, they can apply this knowledge to learn new words on their own. Readable English accelerates this process by ensuring that every word follows consistent, decodable patterns, making it easier for learners to internalize these patterns and apply them to new words.
The Self-Teaching Hypothesis has important implications for how we approach reading instruction. It suggests that developing strong decoding skills in the early stages of learning to read is crucial for long-term reading success. Rather than focusing on teaching every single word a child will ever encounter, educators can focus on helping students master phonics and decoding strategies. This foundational knowledge will allow students to continue building their vocabularies and comprehension abilities throughout their lives.
Moreover, this hypothesis highlights the importance of reading exposure. The more students read, the more opportunities they have to engage in self-teaching. That’s why encouraging independent reading, especially of increasingly complex texts, is vital for helping students become skilled readers. Readable English offers a systematic, supportive way to expose learners to more words, giving them the tools they need to decode and map them into their orthographic memory.
The Self-Teaching Hypothesis offers a compelling explanation for how readers are able to acquire such a vast vocabulary. By mastering the fundamentals of phonics and decoding, readers can independently add new words to their lexicon, developing both fluency and comprehension over time. This theory not only underscores the importance of early phonics instruction but also emphasizes the value of reading widely and frequently.
With tools like Readable English, the self-teaching process becomes even more accessible, as it provides a consistent, decodable structure that supports both beginner and struggling readers. As readers continue to decode new words, they also continue to expand their linguistic knowledge - a process that likely never truly ends.
Happy teaching!
The Readable English Team