Correct option is C
Inference
When a teacher asks students to read a paragraph silently, highlight new words, guess their meanings, and then look up in the dictionary, she/he is trying to develop the skill of 'Inference'. This involves deducing or guessing the meanings of unfamiliar words based on the context or other textual clues before confirming their meanings. This skill is crucial for independent reading and understanding, enabling students to navigate and comprehend texts even when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary.