Reading Is Language Model: Why Early Literacy Starts with Language, Not Letters

Every parent wants their baby to become a strong, confident reader. But most parents don’t know how to make sure that happens. We read to our babies, buy alphabet books, practice letter names, and make sure our babies love books. That’s all great, but it’s not the whole story. 

Here’s what I want every parent to know. 

Your baby is building language. And language is the foundation reading will grow from.

What is the Reading Is Language model?

The Reading Is Language model, proposed by Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme in 2025, explains that language is the foundation for learning to read words, understanding what we read, and writing. That’s the big idea behind the Reading Is Language model from reading researchers Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme. Their model explains that language is not separate from reading. Language is the foundation for learning to read words, understanding what those words mean, and eventually write, too.

In other words, your baby isn’t learning to read yet.

But they are building the language system that reading will depend on later.

What does “Reading Is Language” mean?

The Reading Is Language model says that reading grows out of spoken language.

A lot of early literacy conversations focus on letters, sounds, and print. Those things matter. Children do need to learn that letters represent sounds. They do need to learn how to read words. And when they get a little older, strong phonics instruction is critical. 

But before we can connect letters to sounds, children need a strong language foundation. 

Reading doesn’t begin with worksheets or formal instruction. 

It begins when babies first begin learning language. 

Language is the foundation

I love that the Reading Is Language model shows reading development in waves.

Language comes first. Then alphabetic skills begin to develop. Then word reading grows. Then reading comprehension becomes more established. The waves overlap, but the idea is clear: later reading skills build on earlier language skills.

I think this is a helpful picture for parents.

Language is the first wave. Reading rides on top of it, later. Language should “reach a threshold before later waves develop.”

If we try to teach those alphabetic skills (letters, sounds, sounding out) before language is strong, we’re essentially putting the cart before the horse.

Language helps children learn to read words

When people hear “language matters for reading,” they often think about comprehension.

And yes, language absolutely matters for understanding what we read.

But Snowling and Hulme make another important point: early language also supports the foundational skills children need for word reading.

That includes things like phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and rapid naming. 

In more parent-friendly language, that means children eventually need to notice the sounds inside spoken words, learn that letters can represent those sounds, and quickly name familiar things like letters, objects, or symbols. The Reading Is Language model describes these code-related skills as developing from the child’s growing language system.

This means every time you talk, sing, read, rhyme, repeat words, and name what you see, you give your child more experience with the sounds and meanings of language so their foundation for reading is stronger.

Language also helps children understand what they read

Reading is not only sounding out words. A child can read a word correctly and still not understand the sentence if they don’t understand the meaning of the word.

That’s where vocabulary and background knowledge come in.

Take a word like camouflage. This word is a hard one to sound out because it comes from French. Eventually, your child will learn to decode this word. But deeply understanding camouflage not only makes the word more accessible to read, it’s necessary for comprehension. It comes from hearing the word, seeing examples, talking about why animals blend in, and meeting the idea again and again in different contexts.

A baby bird may blend into a nest.
An insect may look like a tree.
A mammal’s fur may help it hide in tall grass or snow.

Those multiple exposures are powerful. Each one gives the child another hook for understanding.

Researcher Marilyn Adams compares knowledge to mental velcro.

This is why early literacy for babies and toddlers isn’t only about letters and sounds. It’s also about building the words and ideas children will use later when they read.

Reading comprehension starts long before a child reads a sentence on their own.

It starts when they hear words, learn what those words mean, and connect those words to the real world.

So what should you actually do during story time?

It’s SO simple.

Read the book. YES. But also just talk about it. I once worked with a woman named Marilyn Lee who said, “Words are free, give them away!” In other words, give your baby, or older child, as many words as you can. 

• Describe the pictures.

• Point to what you see. 

• Name it.

• Describe it.

• Connect it to something your child has seen before.

That’s enough. Revisit the book later and talk about again, maybe talk about something different next time.

If you’re reading an insect book, you might say:

“Dragonfly. The dragonfly is has wings.”

As your child grows, you can add more.

“The dragonfly is growing. It has an exoskeleton. It has to take off it's old skin. Just like you take off your jacket.”

You’re not trying to cover every detail on every page. Pick one thing to notice. Talk about that.

The goal is connection, language, and knowledge.

Why the kind of book matters

If reading grows from language, then baby books should give you something meaningful to talk about.

There are lots of types of board books, and they’re all great.

 

But there aren’t enough board books with real photographs that teach concepts deeply. 

Real photographs help babies connect words to the real world. Rich vocabulary gives children words they can grow into. Meaningful concepts give you more to talk about than just naming one object and moving on.

That’s how Brilliance of Babies books are designed.

You can read the words on the page, but you can also pause, point, name, describe, compare, and connect. The Grown-Up Guide helps you know what to notice and what to say, so the same book can support different conversations as your child grows. 

Same book. Deeper conversations as your child grows.

A baby may listen, an older baby may point, a toddler may name, an older toddler may describe, and a preschooler may compare, ask questions, explain, and connect the book to something they saw outside.

The book doesn’t have to change every time. The conversation can.

Same book. Deeper conversations as your child grows.

Try this the next time you read

The next time you sit down with your baby or toddler, pick one word or idea from the book.

• Describe the pictures.
• Point to what you see.
• Name it.
• Say something about it.
• Connect it to something your child has seen before.

If you’re reading about birds, you might point to a nest and say:

“Nest. The bird is in the nest. The nest keeps baby birds safe.”

Later, outside, you might say:

“Look, there’s a nest in that tree.”

That’s how language grows.

Little by little. Word by word. Connection by connection.

You’re helping your child build the language system reading will grow from.

And if you’re wondering if all this knowledge-building is too advanced for your little one, read this.

And always remember- never underestimate the brilliance of babies. 

FAQ

What is the Reading Is Language model?

The Reading Is Language model is a reading development model from researchers Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme. It explains that language is not separate from reading. Language is the foundation for learning to read words, understanding what those words mean, and eventually writing, too.

Who created the Reading Is Language model?

The Reading Is Language model was created by reading researchers Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme. Their work explains how language and reading develop together over time, with early language supporting later reading skills.

What does the Reading Is Language model mean for babies and toddlers?

For babies and toddlers, the Reading Is Language model means early literacy starts with language. Your baby isn’t learning to read yet, but they’re building the language system reading will grow from. Every time you talk, sing, read, rhyme, repeat words, and name what you see, you’re helping build that foundation.

How does language support phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice the individual sounds inside spoken words. Before children can connect letters to sounds, they need lots of experience hearing words, playing with sounds, listening to rhymes, and connecting spoken language to meaning. In other words, phonemic awareness grows out of a strong spoken-language foundation.

Why does oral language matter for reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension depends on more than sounding out words. A child can read a word correctly and still not understand the sentence if they don’t know what the word means. Oral language helps children build vocabulary, background knowledge, and real-world connections, which they’ll use later to understand what they read.

How can parents support early literacy before their child can read?

Focus on building language. Read books, but also talk about them. Describe the pictures. Point to what you see. Name it. Say something about it. Connect it to something your child has seen before. That’s how story time builds language, knowledge, and the foundation for reading.

Why do vocabulary and background knowledge matter for reading?

Vocabulary and background knowledge give children something to connect new words to. A word like camouflage becomes easier to understand when a child has heard it, seen examples, and met the idea in different contexts, like birds, insects, and mammals. Multiple exposures help the concept stick.

Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2025). The Reading Is Language Model: A Theoretical Framework for Language and Reading Development and Intervention. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 7, 195–218.