40. As Darnell reads, he stops between words and points from one word to the next. His teacher suggests, 'Put your words together so that the sentence sounds like talking.' Which of the following key reading skills will Darnell develop by following the teacher's suggestion?
Answer: C
Darnell will develop phrasing skills by following his teacher's suggestion.
By putting his words together so that the sentence sounds like talking, Darnell will enhance his ability to read with appropriate intonation and rhythm, which is essential for fluent reading. This process is known as phrasing.
A) Word meaning
While understanding word meaning is a crucial aspect of reading, Darnell's teacher's suggestion focuses specifically on how to connect words in a natural flow rather than on the meaning of individual words. Therefore, this option does not align with the teacher’s guidance.
B) Questioning
Questioning involves the ability to ask and answer questions about the text being read, which helps with comprehension. However, the teacher's suggestion does not address questioning skills but rather focuses on how to read fluently, making this option incorrect.
C) Phrasing
Phrasing is the skill of grouping words into meaningful phrases, which contributes to fluent reading. Darnell's teacher is encouraging him to read with a natural rhythm, which directly supports the development of his phrasing skills. This option is correct.
D) Phonics
Phonics refers to the relationship between sounds and their corresponding letters or groups of letters. While phonics is important for decoding words, the teacher's advice about reading in a more conversational manner does not pertain to phonics but rather to fluency and phrasing.
Conclusion
Darnell will improve his phrasing skills by following his teacher's suggestion, enabling him to read more fluently and with better expression. The other options do not relate to the specific skill being targeted by the teacher's advice, making them less relevant in this context. Thus, phrasing is the key reading skill that Darnell will develop through this guidance.