Which of the following is NOT one of the five essential components of effective reading instruction?

The correct answer, which identifies the component that is not part of effective reading instruction, is indeed mathematics. The five essential components of effective reading instruction typically include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each of these components plays a critical role in developing a child’s reading skills.

Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words, while phonics involves connecting sounds with letters or groups of letters. Fluency is the ability to read text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression, which is crucial for comprehension. Vocabulary development focuses on the knowledge of words and their meanings, vital for understanding text. Lastly, comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret what is read.

Mathematics, while essential in its own right for overall education, does not fall under the umbrella of reading instruction. Thus, it stands out as the component that is not relevant to effective reading teaching strategies.