KINDS OF READING SKILLS ( ANDERSON 1994)

WORD ATTACK SKILLS

Developing word attack skills is necessary to help beginning readers and writers become
independent and fluent. Word attack skills are the ability to convert graphic symbols into
intelligible language.

 Seeing language as made up of units of meaning

 Seeing prints as letters symbolizing sounds, words and discourse units of language such
as a sentences, paragraphs and quotations.
 Seeing relationships of ideas and the ability to infer, evaluate and conclude ( This both a
goal of reading and a skill )

Examples of word attack skills

 Seeing the component parts of words.

 Blending these parts into new words.
 Recognizing syllable patterns.
 Recognizing symbols for consonant sounds.
 Recognizing symbols for vowel sounds.
 Recognizing symbols for tone and other suprasegmental features.
 Recognizing capital letters ( upper case) and knowing when to use them .
 Recognizing punctuation and how it affects reading for meaning and expression.
 Recognizing the use of space to mark word breaks and paragraphs.
 Using the above skills simultaneously with comprehension and critical reading skills

COMPREHENSION SKILLS

The ability to grasp something mentally and the capacity to understand ideas and facts.
Comprehensibility in writing is related to comprehension in reading.

Comprehension is based on ;

1. Knowledge that reading make sense.

2. Readers prior knowledge
3. Information presented in the text.
4. The use of context to assist recognition of words and meaning.

Examples of comprehension skills

a. Understanding the print conveys meaning.

 b. Using context as an aid to reading.
Ex: Being able to fill in the correct words in expressions such as of the following;
“ Open the D….” ”Tell me a st….”
c. Using prior knowledge as an aid to reading.
d. Using predictability as an aid to reading.
Ex : Being able to predict the correct word in phrases like “ Men and W..” “Fork and Sp.”
“Mother and F.”
FLUENCY SKILLS
It is the ability to translate letters-to-sounds-to words fluently, effortlessly. La-
Berge and Samuels (1974) describe the fluent readers as “ one who decoding processes
are automatic, requiring no conscious attention.”

FOR LEARNERS TO DEVELOP FLUENCY, THEY MUST :

a. Performa the task or demonstrate the skill accurately
b. Perform the pre-skills of the task quickly and effortlessly

Selected Critical Skills in Fluency with text

1. Letter Sound Fluency
Ex.
Given a set of letters , the pupils can produce the associated sound within one second
2. Irregular Word Fluency
Ex.
Given a set of irregular words in a passage , puils can identify words in 1 seond or less
3. Oral Reading Fluency
Ex.
By the end of grade 2, pupils should read 90-100 words per minute fluently

CRITICAL READING SKILLS

Critical reading as a good includes the ability to evaluate ideas socially or politically. Critical
reading skills are the ability to analyze, evaluate and synthesize what one reads. They are the
ability to see relationships of ideas and use them as an aid in reading.

EXAMPLES OF CRITCAL READING SKILLS:

1. Seeing questions and expecting correct answers

2. Seeing cause and effect

Ex. Being able to supply correct word in a clause such as this one:
 “ If you drop it. It will b…”
3. Seeing steps in a process
Ex. Being able to supply correct word in a clause.
“ Pull up a chair and s….”

4. Seeing comparisons
Ex. Being able to supply correct word in a phrase like
“ As big as an E…”

5. Seeing generalization and itemization

Ex. Being able to supply correct word in a phrase
“ Fruits that grow in our village are…..”