What aspect of reading does a syntactic approach focus on?

A syntactic approach to reading emphasizes the structure of language, specifically how words are arranged to form phrases, clauses, and sentences. This approach focuses on the rules and patterns that govern sentence formation, highlighting the relationships between words and how they contribute to the overall meaning. By understanding the syntactic structure, readers can better comprehend how different elements fit together, enabling them to interpret sentences more effectively. This understanding aids in decoding text, allowing readers to make sense of complex sentence constructions and improve their reading fluency.

The visual appearance of words pertains more to phonics and orthography, while the sound and pronunciation of words are related to phonological awareness, not specifically syntactic knowledge. The meaning of sentences, although crucial for understanding text, derives from semantics rather than syntax, which is strictly about arrangement and structure in language. Thus, the syntactic approach is pivotal for grasping the underlying framework that supports meaningful communication in reading.