Which item is not listed as a factor contributing to reading failures?

• A. Lack of practice
• B. Reading approaches and strategies
• C. Limited vocabulary
• D. Poor phonemic awareness

Answer: (B)

In reading development, failures are most often linked to underlying skills rather than teaching methods. Lack of practice means a reader has seen fewer words and texts, so fluency and word recognition don’t develop well. Limited vocabulary makes it hard to access meaning and to decode new words, which slows both understanding and fluency. Poor phonemic awareness disrupts decoding because the reader struggles to hear and manipulate sounds, which is essential for sounding out words.

Reading approaches and strategies describe how someone reads or how instruction is delivered. While using effective strategies matters for learning, this item points to a method rather than a foundational skill that directly causes reading difficulties. That’s why it’s the choice that isn’t listed as a contributing factor in this context.