What is the process of translating print into speech called?

The process of translating print into speech is known as decoding. Decoding involves taking written symbols, such as letters and words, and converting them into their corresponding sounds. This skill is essential in reading as it allows individuals to pronounce words accurately and fluently.

When a reader encounters a word, they must recognize the letters and apply their knowledge of phonetics to sound out the word correctly. This foundational skill is at the heart of early reading development and is critical for effective reading comprehension later on.

Other concepts, such as phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension, relate to reading but focus on different aspects. Phonemic awareness is about recognizing and manipulating sounds in spoken language. Fluency refers to the ability to read text smoothly and accurately at an appropriate rate. Comprehension involves understanding and interpreting the meaning of the text being read. While these components are all crucial to the reading process, decoding specifically refers to the translation of written text into spoken language.