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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Long Vowel Digraph Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
Reinforce your students' knowledge of long vowel digraphs with this set of cut-and-paste worksheets.
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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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Read and Type Diphthongs Interactive Activity
Practice diphthong vowel team knowledge with this engaging ‘read and type’ style interactive activity.
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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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My Diphthong Cheat Sheet
Help students learn all about diphthong vowel teams with this handy diphthong student reference sheet.
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Diphthong Vowel Teams Teaching Slides
Teach your students about diphthongs with this set of 23 teaching slides.
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Vowel Team Dominoes - AI and AY
Decode words with vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds using this set of 26 dominoes.
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R-Controlled Digraphs Worksheet Pack
Practice writing and enhancing knowledge of r-controlled digraphs with this worksheet pack.
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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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Common Spelling Rules - Instructional Slide Deck
Boost your students' spelling skills with an instructional slide deck teaching the different spelling rules.
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Long I Words - Word Search
Explore words containing some of the most common “long i” spelling patterns with this set of differentiated word searches.
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Long O Words - Word Search
Explore words containing some of the most common “long o” graphemes with this set of differentiated word searches.
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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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I Have, Who Has? Game - Silent Letters
Review silent letters in one- and two-syllable words with this whole-class literacy game.
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Silent Letters Interactive Activity
Explore silent letters in one- and two-syllable words with this interactive spelling activity.
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Silent Letter Words - Sunflower Craft
Explore silent letters in a new and unusual way with this creative craft activity.
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Words with Silent Letters - Worksheets
Identify silent letters in words with this set of six decoding worksheets.
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Silent Letters Worksheet Pack
Use these 5 ghost letter worksheets for practicing the use and identification of silent letters in words.
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Word Study List — Double Consonant Words
Introduce and explore double letters in words with a list of 50 double-lettered words.
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Word Study List - Trigraphs
Introduce and explore words with trigraphs using a list of 50 trigraph words.
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Word Study List - Silent Letters
Introduce and explore words containing silent letters with this extensive list of words.
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Words With Y as a Vowel - Word List
Introduce and explore words containing the letter “y” making a vowel sound with this y vowel word list.
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Which Consonant Digraph Is It? Interactive Activity
Review consonant digraphs with this comprehensive drag-and-drop interactive activity.
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Consonant Digraphs - Interactive Sorting Activity
Practice identifying beginning and ending consonant digraphs with this interactive sorting activity.
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Consonant Digraph Clip Cards
Explore consonant digraphs at the beginning and end of words with these hands-on clip cards.
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Short Vowel Worksheets (Middle Sounds Practice)
Identify medial or middle vowel sounds with this set of three worksheets.
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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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This or That! PowerPoint Game - Vowel Teams
An active PowerPoint game to practice decoding words with vowel teams.
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Building Sundaes Game - Vowel Teams (OA, OW, OE, and EY)
Decode words with OA, OW, OE, and EY long vowel teams by crafting cute desserts!
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Building Sundaes Game - Vowel Teams (AI, AY, EE, and EA)
Decode words with ay, ai, ea, and ee long vowel teams by crafting cute desserts!
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Move It! - Long and Short Vowel 'O' PowerPoint Game
An active PowerPoint game to practice reading and identifying long and short vowel ‘o’ words.