Which statement describes drill in the context of reading sub-skills?

• A. Active practice of sub-skills
• B. Immersive language experiences
• C. Context-based word learning
• D. Incidental instruction

Answer: (A)

Drill means deliberate, repetitive practice of specific reading sub-skills to build speed and automaticity. By repeatedly performing targeted tasks—like blending phonemes, practicing letter-sound relationships, or timed sight-word reads—students strengthen these skills until they become quick and effortless, freeing cognitive resources for actual reading and comprehension. This focused, repetitive approach contrasts with immersive experiences that emphasize broad, meaningful reading in real contexts, with context-based word learning that relies on surrounding text to infer meaning rather than repeated skill practice, and with incidental instruction that occurs unintentionally during activities rather than through structured repetition of a single sub-skill.