Self-Correcting While Reading
Check that text makes sense while reading and self-correct inaccurate reading by re-reading or using context
What a learner can do afterwards
- Notice when reading does not make sense and stop to re-read
- Self-correct errors mid-sentence (e.g. 'Wait, that doesn't sound right')
- Use meaning, sentence structure, and visual cues together to monitor reading
1 · Read
Check that your reading makes sense as you go. If a sentence sounds odd, stop and look again.
Mia read, 'The dog ran up the tree.' Wait, that does not make sense! She looked again. It said cat, not dog. Now the sentence makes sense.
Sometimes looking again is not enough on its own, so you have two more checks. Does it look right? Say the letters slowly and listen. Does it fit the picture? A picture on the page often shows the word that belongs. Then read the whole sentence again to be sure your new word fits.
Sometimes a word gets skipped, or gets said twice, or your eyes jump to the wrong line. The sentence then sounds bumpy, or the story stops fitting together. Go back with your finger and read each word to find the part that slipped.
When a word stops you, the words around it are a clue. Read on to the end of the sentence and ask what word would fit that gap. Then look back at the tricky word and see if it matches. Read the whole sentence again too, because a word that fits the letters still has to fit the meaning.
If reading does not make sense, stop, look again, and fix it.
More to read
Become a stronger reader: Make and check predictions
Good readers stop and think while they read.
A prediction is a guess about what will happen next in the story.
Try it. Read a little bit. Then stop. Ask yourself: what do I think will happen next?
Say your guess. Then keep reading.
Now check your guess. Was it right? If not, that is okay. Good readers change their guess and keep going.
Stopping to check helps you notice when the story does not make sense. Then you can go back and read that part again.
Reading strategy: Summarize as you read
Strong readers stop now and then while they read.
When you stop, tell yourself what you just read. Use your own words. Keep it short.
You can ask: who is this about? What just happened?
If you can tell it, great. You understood. Keep reading.
What if you cannot tell it? That is a clue. It means the words did not make sense yet.
So go back. Read that part again, slowly. Then try to tell it again.
Stopping and checking like this helps you catch mix-ups right away, so the story stays clear in your head.
3 Ways to Understand a Word Without Using a Dictionary
Sometimes you read a word and it makes no sense. Do not worry. You can figure it out.
First, read the whole sentence. Do not stop at the hard word. The other words are hints.
Next, read the sentence before it and the one after it. They give more hints about what the word means.
Then try a word you know in its place. Read the sentence again. Does it make sense now? If yes, you probably found the meaning.
If it still sounds wrong, try a different word. Keep checking until the sentence sounds right.
Test-taking strategy: Check that the answer makes sense in the text
Always check that things make sense.
When you pick an answer or a word meaning, put it back into the sentence. Read the sentence with your answer inside.
Now listen. Does the sentence sound right? Does it make sense with the rest of the story?
If it sounds silly or wrong, stop. That is your clue. Go back and look at the other choices.
Look for little hints in the story too. Other words nearby can tell you if your answer fits.
2 · Watch
En anglaisTake it off screen
Where it sits
Where this leads
24 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.