Teacher Tea
The Building Blocks of Literacy: How Reading Skills Work Together
How do the various processes of literacy development interact and influence each other during reading acquisition? Researcher David L. Share, of the University of Haifa, explores this question in the latest issue of Reading Research Quarterly, with his article, “Blueprint for a Universal Theory of Learning to Read: The Combinatorial Model.”
The Universal Theory of Reading Acquisition is the hypothesis that all children, regardless of language or writing system, learn to read through similar cognitive and linguistic processes. This theory argues that reading development follows a universal sequence, beginning with phonological awareness (the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds) and progressing through letter-sound knowledge, decoding, and fluency before achieving full comprehension.
One of the key principles of this theory is that alphabetic writing systems (like English) and logographic systems (like Chinese) share common learning mechanisms. While the complexity of different scripts may influence the speed of acquisition, the fundamental cognitive processes—including recognizing symbols and developing automatic word recognition—are consistent across languages.
The theory challenges the idea that reading acquisition is entirely language-specific, and instead supports the notion of a shared cognitive foundation in literacy development. It relies on the importance of phonological awareness and systematic instruction in letter-sound relationships, which have been shown to be crucial in learning to read across various linguistic backgrounds.
In his article, Share explores the essential components of this universal theory, which highlights commonalities, while embracing the global diversity of languages and cultures. Share stresses the need to consider insights from various disciplines, including neurobiology, linguistics, and historical inquiry. One of his key themes is the importance of achieving word reading speed in order to overcome the limitations of human information processing, which finally allows readers to focus on comprehension.
Share introduces the more specific Combinatorial Model, another universal theory of literacy acquisition based on the principle of spoken and written language combinatoriality. This principle enables children to learn how to decipher and chunk a limited set of rudimentary elements into a nested hierarchy of meaningful units. He explains the model's dual nature, its most interesting feature, along with its units of unitization.
This explanation continues with a model for reading development as a three-phase progression from “sub-morphemic” to “supra-lexical” phases, with each phase building upon the previous one. Share concludes that there is a real, urgent need for more research on learning to read in non-European and non-alphabetic systems, as current research is heavily reliant on English and other Roman-script Western European languages.
It is encouraging to see researchers exploring the fundamental processes of reading acquisition. Understanding the interplay of these processes, as Share's work suggests, is the origin point for effective phonics instruction.
A universal sequence of reading development provides a research-based framework for guiding literacy instruction effectively, particularly for elementary educators and foreign language teachers. Understanding that reading follows a predictable progression—from phonological awareness to letter-sound knowledge and fluency—helps us tailor instruction so that we can meet students where they are and support their growth. This awareness also allows us to better identify struggling readers early and implement targeted interventions. The alignment of instruction with the natural stages of reading acquisition creates a strong foundation for all students, regardless of language or background.