Decoding & Word Identification

The foundation of comprehension is accurate word recognition. Skillful readers decode rapidly and automatically. Reading problems occur primarily at the level of single word recognition—which begins with the ability to decode.

Introduce encoding as preparation for decoding.

With word building materials, the child first segments a word into sounds. Then, as he speaks the sounds, he places the letters one at a time in proper sequence to form the printed word. This is a perfect introduction to reading because encoding words is the best way for a beginning reader to learn about decoding words. Don’t think of this activity as spelling, though. It is word building and is meant to show how printed and spoken words map onto each other. This is the understanding of the alphabetic principle at the word level. Word Pockets allow the non-writing child to have repeated success building words he will soon be ready to read. Note: we begin with 3-letter words because that matches the child’s level of segmentation (3 sounds).

[3-Letter] Word Pockets

Short Vowel Word Building

Each envelope or “pocket” contains a picture card and 3 letter cards needed to build a short vowel word, like cup, bug, web. Encoding (or building) words is the most direct preparation for decoding words. Materials for 32 word pockets.

[4-Letter] Word Pockets

Short Vowel Word Building

Each envelope or “pocket” contains a picture card and the letter cards needed to build a 4-letter word, like flag, drum, crab. Encoding (or building) words is the most direct preparation for decoding words. Materials for 32 word pockets.

[Silent E] Word Pockets

Long Vowel Word Building

Each envelope or “pocket” contains a picture card and the letter cards needed to build a long vowel silent E word, like flame, smoke, cake. Materials for 32 word pockets.

[Phonogram] Word Pockets

2-Letter Phonogram Word Building

Each envelope or “pocket” contains a picture card and the letter cards needed to build a word containing a 2-letter phonogram, like goat, snail, feet, horn, ship. Materials for 32 word pockets.

[5 & 6-Letter] Word Pockets

Short Vowel Word Building

Each envelope or “pocket” contains a picture card and the letter cards needed to build a 5- or 6-letter short vowel word, like plant or insect. Encoding is the most direct preparation for decoding words. Materials for 32 word pockets.

Introduce decoding.

A child’s first reading material should connect a picture with a 3-letter short vowel word. This allows the child to “map” the 3 sounds of a spoken word (which she gets from segmenting the picture) onto the printed word. The child thus learns about left-to-right decoding and word identification. Once the child is familiar with a set of Standup Word Cards, she can be shown to hide the picture, decode the word and then flip it back to see if she got it right. This first independent “reading” is always successful and will give the child confidence as she moves forward into more challenging reading levels. Note: Introduce The Blending Game Set 2 [4 Sounds] to prepare the child to decode 4-letter words.

[3-Letter] Standup Word Cards

Short Vowel Decoding

Material for making the child’s first reading a success. The child is encouraged to “map” the sounds of the picture (which represents a spoken word) onto the printed 3-letter short vowel word and thus learns about decoding and word identification. Examples: van, sun, dog, cup. 45 Cards.

[4-Letter] Standup Word Cards

Short Vowel Decoding

This set contains cards with 4-letter short vowel words, like drum, tent, gift, desk. 4 letters is slightly more difficult than 3 letters, therefore a child must first be able to segment and blend spoken words that have 4 sounds. 44 Cards.

[Silent E] Standup Word Cards

Decoding the Silent E

This set contains words that have vowels made long by a silent E, like smoke, flame, cake, kite, globe. The picture on the card allows the child to map the sounds of the spoken word onto the printed word, leading to an understanding of this new spelling pattern. 48 cards.

[Phonogram] Standup Word Cards

Decoding 2-Letter Phonograms

This set contains words that have 2-letter phonograms, like goat, snail, feet, horn, ship. The picture on the card allows the child to map the sounds of the spoken word onto the printed word, leading to an understanding of the new spelling pattern. 48 cards.

Provide lots of decoding practice.

More than anything else, the beginning reader needs lots of practice decoding words that match his ability level. With short vowel pictures and word labels, the child may still refer to the picture for phonemic clues as to which label to choose. But with practice he will soon reach a more mature level of decoding where he simply takes a label, decodes it and places it beneath the correct picture. Ideally the learning environment will provide 20 or 30 sets of pictures and labels the child can work through to become a confident decoder at each level of difficulty (Short Vowel [3-letter, 4-letter, multi-syllable], Silent E, Phonogram).

[3-Letter] Pictures & Word Labels

Short Vowel Decoding Practice

This set contains 3-letter short vowel words, like van, cup, elf. The child can match the word label to a picture by using his phonemic awareness to figure out the sounds in the word he’s looking for. Or he can simply decode the printed letters into sounds and place the label beneath the correct picture. 64 picture cards. 64 word labels.

[4-Letter] Pictures & Word Labels

Short Vowel Decoding Practice

This set contains 4-letter short vowel words, like frog, desk, crab. The younger the child, the bigger the step from 3-letter to 4-letter short vowel decoding. The child is ready to move on to longer short vowel words when he can segment spoken words of 4 or more sounds. 64 picture cards. 64 word labels.

[5 & 6-Letter] Pictures & Word Labels

Short Vowel Decoding Practice

Advanced decoding practice with 5 & 6-letter short vowel words, like, plant, stamps, gifts, and multi-syllable short vowel words like robin, pumpkin, camel. 54 picture cards. 54 word labels.

[Silent E] Pictures & Word Labels

Silent E Decoding Practice

Advanced decoding practice with words that have vowels made long by a silent E, like flake, slide, hike, smoke. 54 picture cards. 54 word labels.

[Phonogram] Pictures & Word Labels

2-Letter Phonogram Decoding Practice

Advanced decoding practice with words that have 2-letter phonograms like, cloud, lunch, boat, jeep, bird. 72 picture cards. 72 word labels.

[3-Letter] Word Choice Reading Game

More Short Vowel Decoding Practice

Each card contains a picture of a 3-letter word like, fox, pig, gum. Beneath each picture are 3 word choices. The child won’t get fooled if he uses his segmentation skill and maps all 3 sounds of the spoken word onto the correct printed word. 54 cards.

[4-Letter]Word Choice Reading Game

More Short Vowel Decoding Practice

Each card contains a picture of a 4-letter word like, desk, tent, pond. Beneath each picture are 3 word choices. The child won’t get fooled if he uses his segmentation skill and maps all 4 sounds of the spoken word onto the correct printed word. 48 cards.

Provide word reading without picture clues.

Eventually, the sounding out and blending of letters into words becomes so automatic that the child can decode word labels without picture clues. The sets described above can be displayed for independent work without the picture cards. And additional sets of word labels can be provided for each level of reading difficulty to provide lots of reading success. Examples: environment labels the child can read and place next to the indicated object (cup, desk, magnet, pipe, soap) and action labels that the child reads and performs (hop, clap, stomp, hide, sleep).

Short Vowel Decoding Mastery Game

Short Vowel Reading Without Picture Clues

On one side of each card is a short vowel word of up to 7 letters. On the back of each card is a picture. The cards are spread out on the playing surface picture down. The child chooses a card and decodes the word. He checks the picture on the back to see if he’s right. 64 cards.

Long Vowel Decoding Mastery Game

Silent E & 2-Letter Phonogram Word Reading Without Picture Clues

On one side of each card is a word containing either a silent E or a 2-letter phonogram. On the back of each card is a picture. The cards are spread out on the playing surface, pictures down. The child chooses a card and decodes the word. He checks the picture on the back to see if he’s right. 56 cards.

5 & 6 Letter Short Vowel

Each card contains a picture of a 5 or 6-letter short vowel word like, plant, clamp trunk, robin. Beneath each picture are 3 word choices. A game piece (not included) is placed above the correct answer. The student’s phoneme segmentation skill can help him find the right word and allow him to check his work. 48 cards.

Learning to Read is Child’s Play
By Maunz, Matthews and Klein

Item#500, $19.00

The sequence, the research, the materials and the 30 years classroom experience which form the foundation of a practical, developmentally appropriate program that leads young children gently but surely into reading. A how-to manual for the early childhood classroom.