What is the purpose of counting miscues in a reading assessment?

• A. To understand how decoding and meaning are coordinated and to inform instruction.
• B. To determine how fast the reader can recite the text.
• C. To measure memory of the text.
• D. To score spelling proficiency.

Answer: (A)

Counting miscues during a reading assessment targets how decoding and meaning work together as a reader encounters text. Each misread, substitution, or omission reveals how the reader processes letters, sounds, and context in real time, and whether they are using meaning cues to guide their reading. By tracking these miscues, you can see where decoding supports or interferes with comprehension, and use that information to tailor instruction—focusing on word recognition, decoding strategies, and strategies for constructing meaning as they read. This approach isn’t about speed of reciting, memory for the exact words, or spelling proficiency; it’s about understanding the match or mismatch between decoding and understanding to inform teaching decisions.