Decoding: What is it and why is it important?

 

What Is Decoding? 

The process of converting written words into spoken language is known as decoding in reading. In order to master this early reading skill, readers must be able to blend the sounds of various letters to identify the word that each string of letters represents. Decoding is frequently described as "sounding out" words, but it only refers to one aspect of the process.

Decoding is the skill of using your understanding of letter-sound correlations, particularly your understanding of letter patterns, to pronounce written words correctly. Children who comprehend these connections are better able to swiftly identify known words and decipher unfamiliar words. Decoding, which entails segmenting and merging sounds together, is an essential skill for learning to read.

Decoding is a lifelong ability that is taught starting in preschool and kindergarten. When they come across an unknown word, such as a name or location, even experienced readers use fundamental decoding techniques. Comprehension, or the capacity to understand the meaning of words and texts, is a skill that is taught alongside decoding.

Why Is Decoding Important? 

Decoding is crucial because it serves as the cornerstone for all other reading training. Students' reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension will all suffer if they are unable to decode words. It is counterproductive to teach pupils who are having trouble decoding higher-level reading skills.

To correctly identify written words and interpret their meaning, it requires both knowledge of letter-sound correlations and the capacity to use that knowledge. Reading depends on decoding. It enables children to decode the majority of words they have heard but never seen written down, as well as sound out unfamiliar ones. The basis for all other reading teaching, including fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, etc., is the capacity to decode.

When kids have trouble decoding, they could become frustrated when they try and fail to sound out a word. In other instances, individuals may take too long to sound out a word to continue understanding the text they are reading, or they may stop attempting to sound out words and instead make a guess depending on the beginning letters. It is evident that weak decoders experience difficulty whereby their lack of ability to decipher unfamiliar words mixed with poor decoding abilities hinders their ability to improve. Poor reading comprehension is the result of this. Students that are proficient in decoding do not experience this difficulty when reading.

At The Caribbean Academy for Reading Intervention and Development, we offer an Individual Reading Assistance Program that assists struggling readers to build skills in: 

• Sight words and high-frequency words 

• Sounds recognition 

• Reading comprehension 

• Letter and word recognition 

• Phonics and phonemic awareness 

Our Reading Assistance Programme is designed to teach the foundational skills of reading to children with significant academic challenges, empowering them to achieve grade-level proficiency. Our dedicated tutors help struggling readers understand the basic mechanics of reading and help them develop critical reading skills that will help them develop a lifelong love of reading. 

Target Audience: Struggling readers between the ages of 5 years to 10 years. 

Persons interested in our Individual Reading Assistance Program can contact us at 1-868-474-9819. 

Chrystal Murray has a passion for imparting knowledge and adding value to the lives of others.

She has been an educator for over 14 years. She holds a B.A. Degree in History and Education

from the University of the West Indies (UWI). She also possesses several professional certificates in Understanding Dyslexia, Successful Educational Strategies for Children with Special Needs, and Supporting Multiple Abilities through Differentiation just to name a few. She is also certified in Counselling Youth and Children and Parenting the Adolescent. Chrystal is the Founder and Principal of two academic institutions, the Caribbean Ivy League Academy and the Caribbean Academy for Reading Intervention and Development. She founded the Caribbean Academy for Reading Intervention and Development where she works assiduously with children who have reading challenges. She also uses this platform to motivate, inspire and help build confidence in the children who are in her care.

 

 

Chrystal Murray 

Reading Interventionist 

1-868-474-9819