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Target the Problem!

Word Decoding and Phonics

Decoding is the ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including
knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly pronounce written words. Understanding
these relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and
to figure out words they haven’t seen before.

Phonics is one approach to reading instruction that teaches students the principles of lettersound relationships, how to sound out words, and exceptions to the rules.

A kid's perspective

What this feels like to me

• “I just seem to get stuck when I try to read a lot of the words in this chapter.”
• “Figuring out the words takes so much of my energy, I can’t even think about what it means.”
• “I don’t know how to sound out these words.”

What I can do to help myself

• Play with magnetic letters. See how quickly you can put them in order while singing the
  alphabet song.
• Look at written materials around your house and at road signs to see if you can spot familiar words and letter patterns.
• Write notes, e-mails, and letters to your friends and family. Represent each sound you hear as you write.

A parent's perspective

What I see at home

• She often gets stuck on words when reading. I end up telling her many of the words.
• His reading is very slow because he spends so much time figuring out words.
• She’s not able to understand much about what she’s read because she is so busy trying to sound out the words.

What I can do to help

• For a younger reader, help your child learn the letters and sounds of the alphabet. Occasionally point to letters and ask your child to name them.
• Encourage your child to write and spell notes, e-mails and letters using what he knows about sounds and letters.
• Talk with your child about the ”irregular” words such as said, are, and was that he needs to recognize “at sight.”

A teacher's perspective

What I see in the classroom

• She has difficulty matching sounds and letters, which can affect reading and spelling.
• He has trouble reading and spelling phonetically.
• She decodes in a very labored manner.

What I can do to help

• Have students sort pictures and objects by the sound you’re teaching. Have children say
  the letter-sound over and over again.
• Teach phonics in a systematic and explicit way, preferably in first grade.
• Use manipulatives to help teach letter-sound relationships. These can include counters, sound boxes, and magnetic letters.

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