Reading is not about phonics

Great reference on reading: http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/professionals/dyslexia-school/reading-fluency re: "A fluent reader does not need to give their attention on decoding the words. Instead, he can concentrate on what the text means and develop his comprehension skills (e.g., making connections, asking questions, etc.)." I have been making this case for years, that fluency and comprehension are NOT a function of decoding. Decoding is NOT essential to the final reading product. It is, however a bridge to reading that works well for MOST (not all) children. re: "Strategies to improve reading fluency may include: - determining syllable boundaries in words, - improving reading rate by working on automaticity, - increasing sight word vocabulary, and - self-monitoring while reading." Again, the strategies to improve reading fluency do not (necessarily) include decoding or phonics. This information is so important if we're going to get past tired old ideas about what reading is and what it isn't.