Decoding Activities in Reading
Tips and Strategies for Decoding Words in Early Literacy Lessons
Decoding instruction and activities need to involve decoding words in isolation and within a context.
ELLs and especially those at-risk readers and decoders typically struggle with varying degrees with sound-letter correspondences, especially with those that are not native to the sounds and characters of their own language. Students need both a direct and explicit instruction with appropriately matching decoding activities to help facilitate the process.
The classroom procedures for introducing new vocabulary involves, to a great extent, the three R’s: review, repeat, recycle both on sound and meaning levels on beginning, ending and middle sounds and those respective sound clusters. Planning in this respect should evolve around simultaneous practice around decoding and retrieving a word’s meaning.
Subsequently, there should be a deliberate joining between oral language and the benchmarks of early literacy so that students are more adept at acquiring the targeted sounds so that eventually, they will be able to also recognize them in their written forms as well.
Decoding lessons in this respect, should involve decoding practice on a variety of decoding levels.
- Give a word that rhymes with 'book' 'legs'
- Find a word that begins with 'b' and 'd'
Alphabetic Knowledge
- The emphasis is on decoding first and initial sounds. Teacher spells the word – students produce the word.
- Teacher shows a picture - students produce the sound/name of the letter.
- Teacher spells the word - students produce the word.
Vocabulary Practice in Context
- Teacher shows a sentence. One word is scrambled. Students unscramble the word.
- I'm thinking of a word game. Teaching describe the word.
Tips for Decoding Practice
- Be selective. Examine the exercises critically. Is the purpose clear? Is it useful? Does it force the students to think about the language? Can it be made more interesting?
- Make sure activities are adapted to the needs of the individual student. Make up your own exercises if there are not enough suitable ones.
- Although this book primarily relates to the main receptive skill of reading, use as much time as possible on listening and speaking activities. Allow the students to work in pairs or in small groups as often as possible.
- Start written work in the classroom to make sure everyone understand what they are doing. Do some exercises orally first as a model, then let the students finish them for homework. Don’t underestimate your students. Show them that you expect them to be able to work individually or in pairs and groups.
- Make the lessons as enjoyable as possible. If you enjoy your work, the students will enjoy the lessons.
Decoding activities can be fun and interactive. Often these ideas for practicing decoding will happen spontaneously when you've least expected them.
