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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Th Word List and Digraph Flashcards
Practice reading and spelling words with the Digraph TH with a list of 50 words and accompanying illustrated flash cards.
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Th Digraph Lesson Resource Pack
Introduce students to the th digraph with this set of teaching slides and mini activity book.
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Final E - Word Study Worksheets Pack
Provide extra practice reading, spelling, and writing final-e words with a set of 44 Final E Word Study Worksheets.
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1st Grade Consonant Digraphs Worksheet Pack
Practice writing and enhancing knowledge of consonant digraphs with this worksheet pack.
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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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My Diphthong Cheat Sheet
Help students learn all about diphthong vowel teams with this handy diphthong student reference sheet.
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OW and OU Words - Word Search
Explore "ou" and "ow" words with this set of differentiated word searches.
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Long Vowel Words - Long A Word Search
Explore words containing some of the most common “long a” vowel teams with this set of differentiated word searches.
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This or That! PowerPoint Game - Vowel Teams
An active PowerPoint game to practice decoding words with vowel teams.
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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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Segmenting and Blending Mats
A set of beautifully designed templates for students to practice blending and segmenting words.
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CVC Words Bingo Game
Practice decoding simple CVC words with this set of printable Bingo boards.
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Medial L Words - List & Flashcards
Practice reading and articulating Medial L words with a list of 50 words and accompanying illustrated flash cards.
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Long E Vowel Teams Interactive Activity
Practice identifying the different graphemes that spell the long /e/ vowel teams with this fun space-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 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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Ph Digraph Lesson Resource Pack
Introduce students to the ph digraph with this set of teaching slides and mini activity book.
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Consonant Digraph Sound Wall Cards
Guide students through phonics with these consonant digraph sound wall cards for a classroom display.
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Diphthong Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
Help students practice their knowledge of different diphthongs with this set of cut-and-paste worksheets.
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Long E Words - Word Search
Explore words containing some of the most common “long e” graphemes with this set of differentiated word searches.
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Football Vowel Teams Worksheets
Practice reading and spelling words using vowel teams with a set of fun Football themed phonics worksheets.
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Spring Short and Long Vowel Sort
Practice distinguishing short and long vowels with a Spring-themed short and long vowel sorting activity.
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My Magic E Story - Silent E Words Mini-Book
Practice reading and writing sentences with silent e words with this magic e-mini-book.
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Silent Letter Words - Reading Fluency Worksheets
Practice identifying the silent letters in words with this comprehensive collection of reading fluency passages.
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Silent Letters Word Sort - Cut and Paste Worksheets
Identify silent letters in words with this set of four cut-and-paste worksheets.
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Consonant Digraphs Match-Up Activity
Complete words using the correct consonant digraph with this set of match-up cards.
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Magic E Words - Match-Up Activity
Explore words containing long vowel sounds created by the magic e.
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Meet Magic E - Poster and Worksheet Set
Remind your students how words are transformed by the magic e with this poster and worksheet set.
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Phoneme Spotter Story – Long 'u' Sound
A decodable text featuring various graphemes that make the long 'u' sound.
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Phoneme Spotter Story – Long 'i' Sound
A decodable text featuring various graphemes that make the long 'i' sound.
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Blending Words Reading Warm-Up Task Cards
Get your students ready for reading with these blending words reading warm-up task cards.
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Learn to Read Short O - Daily Phonics for Kids
Teach your students to read short O words with a daily digital phonics instructional slide deck.