Before saying, "Sound It Out"… 

 For many years children have been told to "sound it out" when they come to an unknown word. 

While phonics is an important part of reading,

reading for the meaning is the most important goal

especially for beginning readers.

Independent readers who monitor and correct themselves as they read, use a variety of strategies.

 Encourage your child to try the following strategies before saying, "sound it out".

    Say, "Try that again"  or  "Reread the first part!"

    Ask, "What would make sense there?"

    Ask, "What do you think that word could be?"

    Ask, "What can you try?"  or  "What can help you figure it out?"

    Ask, "Is there a part or chunk in that word you know?"

    Say, "Use the picture to help you figure out what it could be."

    Say, "Check by looking at the word again, especially the first letter."

    Say, "Try the beginning sounds and think about what would make sense"  or

               "Try it in the sentence, go back and reread and think about if it makes sense."

If they still don't know, tell them by saying, "Could it be...?"

The above are just a few of the many things you can do and say to help your child/student become more independent.

Remember to always praise your child's attempts.

Taken from http://www.reading4meaning.com/reading.htm