'''Reading''' is an academic subject considered crucial to modern elementary education. It is one of the ''3 R's'' (reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic).
Everyone can benefit from improving their reading skills. Even superb readers can learn to read faster, with practice. For example, there is a World Championship Speed Reading Competition, in which a six-time world champion, has been clocked at reading at 4,200 words per minute with good, but far from perfect, comprehension.<ref>https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/the-sad-truth-about-speed-reading-it-doesnt-work.html - a critical look at speed reading.</ref>
* Do we read whole words in an instant, or by sounds? The fluent reader quickly perceives whole words, but the path to fluency is through mastering the connection between letter combinations and the sounds they represent. The fact is that our letters stand for sounds, not ideas. While some still debate "whole language" versus "phonics" instruction, experts such as Priscilla Vail recognize that language has structure and texture, and our students need to develop both. [http://www.spellingcity.com/importance-of-spelling.html]