Good readers think as they read. Good readers use metacognition by asking, “Does it look right?” Looking at the word builds visual discrimination. “Does it sound right?” Asking if it sounds right stresses grammar and real usage as well as auditory discrimination. “Does it make sense?” Making sense out of text develops use of context clues.

A major part of your job as a reading teacher must include asking the question, “What do you do when you’re stuck?” Teach children to use context clues by applying the following ideas.

• Suggest, “Back up and read the sentence again.” Contrast trying to jump a hurdle flat-footed with jumping a hurdle from a running start.
  
  
• Ask, “What makes sense in this sentence? What is the story about?”
  
  
• In addition to asking what makes sense, ask children, “What sounds the way we talk?” You are encouraging attention to the structure and grammar of language.
  
  
• Use pictures as clues.
  
  
• Look at the first letter. Ask, “How does the word start? What sound does that letter usually make? How will your mouth look if you say this word?”
  
  
• Examine the word, the line, and the story for other clues, such as small words inside large words, endings, suffixes, or prefixes.
  
  

Expect the child to put clues together and make an educated attempt at unknown words.

• Tell children, “Skip the word and continue reading.”
  
  
• Encourage, “After trying all of the ideas above, ask two neighbors or partners for help.”
  

• Finally, “After trying all resources, ask me.”