1. Graphophonemic System – Phonics
Symbol systems of oral and written language and the relationship between them
System of written language – orthographic system – how print is organized
Spelling system
Letters
Words
Punctuation Marks
Phrases
Phonics – Relationship between phonological and orthographic systems. What readers learn to understand as the complex relationship between how we talk and how language is organized in written texts.

2. Semantic Meaning Heart of language
Relationships between language and meaning
What words and phrases mean and how that changes

3. Syntactic System – Grammar
Relationship of words, sentences, paragraphs
Word order
Tense
Number
Gender
Where parts of speech go in a sentence
How we string words together to sound like English
Structural rules of English

4. Pragmatic System – Language in Use
Take into consideration the social, cultural, and historical context of language in use
What we know about how and when to change language to particular social settings
“Is your mother there?” (in a phone conversation) – implies “Is your mother at home? I’d like to speak to her.”