What does word recognition refer to in reading?

Word recognition pertains to the capacity to read words quickly and effortlessly. This skill is essential for becoming a fluent reader, as it allows individuals to focus their cognitive resources on comprehension rather than decoding each word. Effective word recognition involves recognizing words by sight, often leading to faster reading speeds and improved understanding of the text.

The process of quickly identifying familiar words without needing to sound them out is fundamental for literacy development. Readers who achieve strong word recognition skills can navigate texts with greater ease, making it easier to grasp overall meanings and engage with the content more fully. This aspect of reading lays the groundwork for later skills such as comprehension and interpretation, enabling readers to focus on higher-level thinking rather than the mechanics of reading. It is a building block of literacy that supports overall reading proficiency.