98. Syntax is Everything: The Backbone of Comprehension with Dr. Julie Van Dyke

When educators discuss reading comprehension, the conversation often centers around vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension strategies, but what if we’ve been overlooking one of the most critical components of comprehension all along?

Research scientist, Dr. Julie Van Dyke shares about the powerful role syntax plays in reading comprehension. Drawing from decades of research in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and language processing, Dr. Van Dyke explains why syntax is much more than word order; it’s the system that helps readers determine who did what to whom and construct meaning moment by moment.

We discuss what happens in the brain when we read, why comprehension occurs word by word rather than after a passage is finished, how Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) impacts reading, and practical ways teachers can begin supporting syntactic development in their classrooms.

We also dive into Cascade Reading, an innovative tool designed to make sentence structure visible and support comprehension for all learners.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Syntax is not simply word order.
  2. Comprehension happens continuously, word by word, as the brain integrates new information into what has already been processed.
  3. The brain relies on multiple systems during reading, including perception, language, and thought networks.
  4. Syntax serves as the foundation of language comprehension in much the same way phonology serves as the foundation of decoding.
  5. Explicit attention to sentence structure can be embedded into existing literacy instruction.

Resources Mentioned:

  1. IDA Perspectives 2025: Volumes 1 & 2 – Syntax Comes First (Available through the IDA)
  2. FREE Tool: Cascade Reading
  3. Syntax Usage Survey

Connect with Dr. Julie Van Dyke:

  1. Website: https://www.drjvandyke.net/
  2. LinkedIn
  3. Stay tuned for her upcoming Substack: Decoding Syntax

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