How can a teacher help students who frequently make word-reading errors that change the meaning of a text?

Providing direct instruction in cross-checking words during decoding is an effective strategy for helping students who frequently make word-reading errors that alter the meaning of a text. This approach teaches students to recognize when they have read a word incorrectly and encourages them to verify their reading against the surrounding context or the rest of the sentence. By doing so, students learn to stop and think critically about the text, which aids in self-correction and reinforces comprehension.

Cross-checking also empowers students to become more aware of their reading habits and enables them to refine their skills in real-time. This active engagement in the reading process fosters independence and confidence in their ability to tackle difficult words and maintain the integrity of the text's meaning.

In contrast, the other options focus on strategies that may not specifically address the issue of word-reading errors. Encouraging silent reading may improve fluency but does not directly assist in correcting misread words. Using flashcards primarily aids vocabulary development rather than decoding skills, and implementing daily spelling tests is more about memorization than helping students decode and understand text. Therefore, direct instruction in cross-checking is the most suitable choice for addressing the specific needs of these students.