New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

What strategy should teachers model for helping students with unknown vocabulary words?

1. Ignore the unknown words

2. Decoding even if the meaning is unknown

3. Avoid engaging with the text

4. Refrain from discussing strategies

The correct answer is: Decoding even if the meaning is unknown

Modeling the strategy of decoding even when the meaning of a word is unknown is essential in helping students develop their reading skills. This approach encourages students to sound out unfamiliar words, which reinforces their phonemic awareness and decoding abilities. By focusing on decoding, students can continue to progress in their reading fluency, even if they encounter vocabulary that is unfamiliar. Additionally, this strategy can lead to further exploration of the word's meaning through context clues or subsequent instruction, allowing for a deeper understanding of vocabulary over time. Encouraging students to attempt decoding reinforces the idea that all words can be tackled and understood in due course, rather than being discouraged by unfamiliar terms. This strategy empowers students and fosters a positive attitude towards reading as a skill that can be continuously improved.