Prepare for the Reading Specialist 221 Exam. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to enhance your readiness. Ace your test!

Multiple Choice

Which word term describes a word in a reading lesson that is highly predictable from context and not yet learned explicitly?

Recognizing words by sight is the idea here. A sight word is a word readers can identify instantly without having to decode it letter by letter, often learned through repeated exposure and practice. When a word is highly predictable from the surrounding text, readers may not need explicit instruction on its spelling or pronunciation; they can recognize it quickly as a familiar word, which helps fluency and comprehension. This differs from decoding aloud, which is what happens when a reader sounds out a word letter by letter (word calling). It also isn’t about words with multiple pronunciations (polyphones) or about patterning like rhymes, which focus on sounds rather than recognition of a specific word at a glance.

Recognizing words by sight is the idea here. A sight word is a word readers can identify instantly without having to decode it letter by letter, often learned through repeated exposure and practice. When a word is highly predictable from the surrounding text, readers may not need explicit instruction on its spelling or pronunciation; they can recognize it quickly as a familiar word, which helps fluency and comprehension.

This differs from decoding aloud, which is what happens when a reader sounds out a word letter by letter (word calling). It also isn’t about words with multiple pronunciations (polyphones) or about patterning like rhymes, which focus on sounds rather than recognition of a specific word at a glance.