English spelling is described as quasi-regular, meaning a system in which the relationship between input (i.e., orthography) and output (i.e., phonology) is systematic, but with many inconsistencies (often referred to as exceptions). These inconsistencies often center around the pronunciation of vowels, which can vary as a function of letter position and the neighborhood of surrounding letters.

Reading for Understanding is a large project, funded by the Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (R305F100027), comprised of more than 10 different research studies focused on how children understand text and how to teach students to better understand what they are reading. By developing assessments and interventions, then implementing them in the classrooms in North Florida and Arizona schools, we are committed to helping improve the strategies children use to understand text.