Great Question - Accuracy in Reading

Leticia wrote in with a question that I want to tie into another topic: Benchmark Assessments. In listening to her daughter read, she notices that she skips words, often the small ones, "the," "in", etc.

I don't think it is a symptom of a greater problem. My guess is that she is starting to read more difficult text and her mind is going faster than her eyes and voice...but, that's not the end all answer. I am going to ask my reading specialist buddy in the morning her opinion.

To correct? I would say yes. I think having her go back to the beginning of that sentence and try again. If she again misses it, I would point it out. I would model it and then continue that process throughout.

Again, I am going to do more research on that and get more info for you all.

Having said that, it is something important -- accuracy -- saying the words correctly. It is one of the three prongs of reading we test...Fluency, accuracy, and comprehension.

Accuracy is important. If the reader isn't reading accurate words, the comprehension will break down.

Substitutions, when kids say another word in place of the word that is there, are something to track as well. Are they substituting words that make sense to the story? Then they are comprehending and making meaning. If they are saying words that start with the same letter/sound, they are using their decoding knowledge to figure out an unknown word.

In testing, we don't correct them, but when I am conferencing with kids, I do. I tell them what I noticed, what word they substituted, and praise them for using either their decoding or comprehension skills. If they are using neither, I point that out too - how either of those ways are good ways to attack an unknown word.

I hope that helps. I will add more information tomorrow!