What Is Decoding?

Decoding is the process of turning letters into sounds and then using these sounds to form meaningful words.

Decoding: How & Why

How to decode
Turn letters into sounds*	• Sound out letters or letter groups • Blend sounds together
Break words down	• Into smaller sound groups • Into smaller and familiar words
Why decode
To be able to	• Pronounce words • Understand words • Interpret long, unfamiliar words

*Some words have spellings that can make them tricky to decode. When that’s the case, look up their meanings in a dictionary.