Evaluating a reader's ability to use language to derive meaning should be one of the major emphases of reading instruction. A technique which is used in miscue research to evaluate a reader's comprehension of written material is called the retelling. The reader's retelling of a story or passage provides information about his or her ability to derive meaning from what was read. In addition, student responses to teacher questions posed during the retelling can provide feedback so that the teacher can examine and analyze the comprehension questioning techniques. The retelling is divided into two portions, the unaided retelling and the aided or directed retelling, each of which is described in detail. When readers use their own experiential backgrounds to interpret any written material, reading becomes personalized and meaningful. In this context, reading is an active process with the reader as participant. (TS)