Picture Clues

Good readers use appropriate strategies of decoding to recognize

unknown words when reading. Using pictures is a strategy that can
help your child when he/she comes to an unknown word.

 Before reading, share the title and illustrations on the cover of

the book.
 Before reading, take a picture walk through the book identifying
illustrations that coincide with key vocabulary words in the text.
 Read the text together and remind your child to use the picture
clues to identify key words.

**Remember to ask your child, “Does that word make sense in the
sentence?”

As you are reading a favorite book at home, encourage your child to use
picture clues to help recognize unknown words in reading.

If your child is an advanced reader, try this strategy in a more

difficult text. Nonfiction books with photographs and other visual
information work well for practicing the picture clue strategy.