Master Left to Right Reading Direction

You will learn the most important reading skill - how to read from left to right! When you read books, you always start at the left side of each line and move your eyes to the right side. This helps you read every word in the right order. You use this skill every time you read a book, story, or any words on a page.

You start reading at the left side of each line. Your eyes move across the page to the right side. This is like walking from one end of a path to the other end.

When you finish reading one line, you move down to the next line. You start at the left side again and read to the right side. You do this for every line in your book.

Reading from left to right helps you understand words and sentences. The words are in a special order that makes sense. When you read the right way, you can understand the story better.

You will use this skill with Follow Print Direction When Reading and Top to Bottom Reading Flow to become a great reader.

Left to Right: You start reading on the left side of the page and move your eyes to the right side to read each word in order.

Reading Direction: The way you move your eyes when you read - always from left to right in English books.

Line: A row of words that goes across the page from left to right.

Text: The words you see written on a page that you can read.

Tracking: Following along with your finger or eyes as you read each word from left to right.

First Word: The word that starts each sentence or line - it is always on the left side.

Last Word: The word that ends each sentence or line - it is always on the right side.

You can practice by pointing to each word as you read. Start with your finger on the left side of the line. Move your finger to the right as you say each word.

You can also practice with Word Spacing and Direction to learn how words are separated on each line.

You do not need to know anything special before learning this skill. This is one of the first things you learn about reading!

After you learn this, you will be ready for Concepts of print directionality and text features and other reading skills.

This topic connects to many other reading skills you will learn. Follow Print Direction When Reading helps you practice this skill with real books.

Top to Bottom Reading Flow teaches you how to move down the page after each line. Understanding Word Spacing In Print shows you how words are separated.

You will also learn Following Words In Reading Order and Basic Reading Pattern Recognition to become an even better reader.

These skills prepare you for Print awareness letters and print symbols and Reading High Frequency Sight Words as you grow as a reader.