Try This: Activities to Improve Decoding Skills

 Decodable text is classified as phonics in the science of reading. When pupils break down words, they determine how to pronounce them aloud. A crucial stage in the reading process is teaching beginning readers how to decode words. Decodable passages assist them in doing this. The same phonetic sounds and patterns that students use when reading aloud are present in a phrase of decodable text.

How can this be applied to reading lessons? 

Word families can be created using a learnt sound. For example, with the ‘short a’ sound, we can create -at ending words like: bat, cat, rat, sat, mat, pat, fat and hat etc. To make it an interactive and fun activity, these words can be used to make flashcards where students can sound out the word. Students can also assist with making these flashcards and even use different colours for the letters. 

The separate letters can also be given to students, and when a word is said they are instructed to spell it out. For example, when you say ‘fat’, they’ll need to find the letters ’f’, ‘a’ and ‘t’ and assemble them correctly. This allows students to practice listening to and identifying the letter sounds in the words as well. 

Another activity can include making image flashcards matching the words given and have students sound out the words and find the matching flashcard image. For example, if given a flashcard with the word ‘cat’, after sounding out the word cat, the student should be able to find the matching flashcard showing an image of a cat. 

To further practice and reinforce this, short sentences can be created using the ‘short a’ words. Examples:

 1) The bat is on the mat. 

2) The cat is fat. 

3) The rat is in the hat. 

4) Pat the cat sat on the mat. 

5) The fat cat is on the mat. 

This can be done using different words/word families depending on the student’s level and progress. 

Before advancing to more complex reading techniques, decodable texts help pupils understand phonetic patterns like short vowels, diphthongs, and early blends. A phrase of decodable text has the same phonetic sounds and patterns that students use when reading aloud. Decodable texts are also advantageous for young readers who are still working to grasp their phonics.

The aforementioned activities are ideal for various ages and allow students to explore and practice their decoding skills while having fun and engaging in an interactive activity, 

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