However, even fluent readers, should be encouraged to create mental images, to visualize, as they read texts with fewer illustrations. Successful readers use the surrounding ideas and words of a sentence, as well as their own background knowledge, and sense of language to figure out words, and to understand text. Early Fluent and Fluent readers, too, should be taught to use this strategy, building on their expectation that written language will make sense and sound like spoken language. Readers use knowledge of letter sound associations, especially initial and ending consonants to help them figure out words. Furthermore, while phonetic clues are useful as one technique, it is usually not very efficient to sound out entire words.
Phonetic clues work best when combined with other strategies.
Also, remember that beginning readers should not be expected to sound out words such as names or concept words that are not already part of their spoken vocabulary. No single element works all the time for everyone. Successful readers use different combinations of strategies and word analysis skills. Some approaches are easier for some readers than others. That is why it is essential to help beginning readers learn to use all the approaches as they become ready to do so.