What should I do when I get stuck on a word?

Reading Strategies

Primary & Intermediate Helpful Suggestions

Here are some strategies to use when you get stuck on a word...

1. Check the picture, then check the word.

• Think of what makes sense.
  

• Go back to the beginning of the sentence.
  

• Read again.
  

2. Say the 1st sound.

3. Sound it out or pull it apart. (s - m - a - l - l )

4. Remove the prefix or suffix. (re-work-ing)

5. Find a small word inside. (skin, shout)

6. Change the beginning sound. (frown / brown)

(Can you think of a word you know with a different beginning sound?)

Helpful Questions to ask...

For beginning readers

• Read it with your finger.
  

• Were there enough words?
  

• Did you run out of words?
  

• Try ___________. Would that make sense?
  

• Does that have the right letters/sounds to be __________?
  

• Can you find the word: ___________? (a known or new word)
  

• Read that again and start the word. (beginning sound)
  

To help readers check and notice mistakes

• Why did you stop? What's wrong?
  

• Where's the tricky word? (after a mistake)
  

• What letter would you expect at the beginning of ________?
  

• It could be _____________, but look at _____________.
  

• Try that again.
  

To help readers use story, letter sounds and structure

• Check the picture.
  

• Is that what is happening in the story? (make sense)
  

• Does that word look right? (have the right letters)
  

• Can we say it that way? (English structure)
  

• You said ____________. What's wrong with it?
  

• Do you know a word like that?
  

• Do you know a word that starts with those letters?
  

• What can you do to help yourself?
  

To help readers correct their mistakes

• You made a mistake. See if you can find it.
  

• You're almost right. Try that again.
  

• I like the way you worked that out!