Decoding Teaching Resources
Build students' decoding skills with reading activities, printable worksheets and more teacher resources, all created by teachers for classrooms like yours.
This comprehensive collection is filled with resources aligned with both the TEKS and Common Core English curriculums, and each resource has undergone the Teach Starter teacher team's thorough review process. Download resources you know you'll be able to add to your lesson plans immediately!
New to teaching students decoding strategies? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at how this skill plays into early literacy development and tips to help your students build their decoding savvy!
What Is Decoding in Reading?
It's something you likely know, but we like to start from the top, so let's dig into the meaning of decoding in a reading context. (Just want some ideas? Feel free to scroll down to our collection!)
Simply put, decoding is translating written words into spoken language.
Need a little more?
In early literacy education, decoding refers to the process of breaking words down into their individual sounds and then blending those sounds together to form recognizable words. As students build their skills, they are eventually able to decode — or read — increasingly more complicated written texts.
The process of encoding builds off of phonics instruction, understanding of sight words, pattern recognition and the use of context clues, helping students become fluent readers with strong comprehension skills.
Decoding vs. Encoding — What's the Difference?
When discussing decoding in early education, we typically talk about reading instruction. As noted above, we teach our students to decode — or translate — the written word into the spoken form.
Of course, we don't do this in isolation. Kids need to learn to encode too, and linking instruction of both has been shown to help students learn to be stronger readers and spellers.
So, what is encoding, and how does it differ from decoding?
In an educational context, encoding is the polar opposite, and we tend to use the term in regard to teaching kids to write. In its most basic forms, encoding involves learning to spell different words by representing the sounds with corresponding written letters.
In essence, instead of translating written words into speech, encoding means teaching our students to translate spoken words into written words.
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Consonant Digraphs Anchor Chart Pack
Expose your students to the most common consonant digraphs with this set of 9 digraph anchor charts.
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R-Controlled Vowel Posters
Supplement your phonics curriculum with an R-controlled vowel poster display.
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Google Interactive S-Blends Activity
Help your readers practice their S-blend skills with fun, interactive Google Slides word-building activities.
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Google Interactive R-Controlled Vowel Word Building Activity
Build an engaging literacy center or station activity around r-controlled vowels with a Google Slides Interactive Activity.
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R-Controlled Vowel Clip Cards-Digital and Print
Build an engaging literacy center or station activity around r-controlled vowels with these digital and/or printable r-controlled vowel clip cards.
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Blends and Digraphs Clip Card Reading Center
Practice identifying digraphs and blends in word through interactive Google slides and traditional PDF printable formats.
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R Blends Dominoes
Practice decoding and spelling words that feature R consonant blends with this set of 28 dominoes.
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Long and Short Vowel Sort
A set of 40 sorting cards to practice long and short vowel sounds.
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Vowel Sounds Sort - /a/ and /e/
Practice distinguishing between long and short vowel sounds for letters /a/ and /e/ by sorting this set of 24 picture cards into categories.
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SMASH IT! S Blends Game
Practice segmenting and spelling S consonant blend words with this game board and blend card set for 10 players.
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Common Blends and Digraphs Bookmarks
These bookmarks are designed to help students remember some of the most common blends and digraphs while reading.
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Vowel and Consonant Digraph Spin Game
Practice consonant and vowel digraphs in the classroom with a fun phonics game for students!
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Consonant Digraph Bingo
30 different bingo cards using consonant digraph graphemes.
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L-Blends Blending Flashcards
Practice blending l-blends with this set of blending l word cards.
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S-Blends Blending Flashcards
Practice different s blends with this set of flashcards.
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Consonant Digraph WR Interactive
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘wr’ with this fun building site-themed interactive activity.
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Finding Phonemes - A, AW, AU, OR, ORE Digital Learning Activity
Read and spell words using the au, aw, a , or, and ore phonemes with an interactive digital learning activity.
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Finding Phonemes - Spelling Words with DGE, GE, J, and G
Read and spell words using the j, g, ge, and dge phonemes with an interactive digital learning activity for 2nd Grade.
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Long Vowel Digraph Writing Worksheet
Learn to encode long vowel digraphs with this set of writing worksheets.
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Roll and Read Vowel Teams Diphthong Activity
Explore different diphthongs with this fun gamified diphthong activity.
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Consonant Digraph Phonics Journal
Help students remember and record words and examples of different consonant digraphs during your phonics lessons.
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Digraph Search and Find Worksheet Pack
Search for images that contain particular consonant digraphs with this worksheet pack.
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Long A Vowel Team Interactive Activity
Practice identifying the different vowel team graphemes that spell the long /a/ sound with this fun space-themed interactive activity.
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Long Vowel O Teams Interactive Activity
Practice identifying the different graphemes that spell the long /o/ sound with this fun boat-themed interactive activity.
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Vowel Teams Poster Set
Display this poster set in your classroom when teaching children about different vowel teams.
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Long I Vowel Teams Interactive Activity
Practice identifying the different vowel teams that spell the long /i/ sound with this fun iceberg-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph KN Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘kn’ with this fun knight-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph CH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘ch’ with this fun beach-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph SH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘sh’ with this fun beach-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph TH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘th’ with this fun sloth-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph WH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘wh’ with this ocean-themed interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraph NG Interactive Activity
Engage students in practicing their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘ng’ with this fun playground-themed interactive activity.