Episode 306: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 7: Decoding

So we're talking about the ins and outs of how students can crack the code of written language by mastering prefixes , suffixes and root words . Plus , you'll get two versions of a really fun activity that will have your students engaged in a relay or working together at their desks to decode and create words . So this is really a must listen for any ELA teacher .

If you are looking to boost those decoding skills in your classroom , all right , let's go ahead and dive into this week's episode the classroom by providing them with engaging lessons , planning frameworks and genuine support so that they can become the best version of themselves both inside and outside of the classroom .

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But again , today's topic is going to be super helpful for any teacher , really , regardless of whether you've listened to those other episodes , or even if you know what the science of reading is and your school follows it . So good stuff today .

So essentially , decoding is the process of figuring out what a written word says by sounding it out . It involves matching letters and letter combinations to their sounds to read and understand the word , and I mentioned this in the previous episode .

But my five-year-old daughter , harper , is learning to read and I just want to point out like this girl takes school seriously , like I think she 100% gets it from me .

It's so cute , I actually get like a video of it and you know her brothers are just like oh my gosh , harper say it . But her teacher also sends home a list of nonsense words each week and then we get to listen to Harper decode them , which is the coolest thing . So decoding can focus on phonemes , which are the smallest units of sound in a word .

And this is where new readers begin . This is where they're putting together individual sounds . So , like this is where Harper's at with her nonsense words . She's like m-i-g-m-i-g-h-a-m-p-o-m . However , it can also involve larger units like syllables or chunks of words , especially as students become more advanced .

So , for example , students might decode by recognizing familiar prefixes , suffixes or root words or even base words in addition to individual sounds , and then this helps them read more complex words effectively .

And I just want to point out here that this episode we're really going to focus on an activity for those larger chunks , the prefixes , the suffixes and the root words or the base words .

So if you have students who are struggling at putting together simple sounds and are really lacking that basic fluency , they're going to require a more systematic decoding lessons , probably multiple lessons right , let's be honest and lots of practice .

So if you have students like this and you don't have a strong background in teaching reading , we really recommend seeking out your school or your district's reading specialist or speaking with an administrator about your options for helping these students .

So now we're going to walk you through two ways that you can do a really fun , a really interactive activity that helps your students not only improve their decoding skills with those bigger chunks of words , but to make meaning through this process . So we're going to share two different versions . Megan's going to go first .

She's going to share a version that includes more physical movement . Honestly , it's the one I would have picked if I was in the classroom . Like it's fun , right , it switches things up . And then I'm going to give you an option that's more stationary and you can just pick the version that works best for you and for your students .

So you can find lists all over the Internet , I really like the Reading Rockets website for easy lists and you can just search root words , suffixes and prefixes Reading Rockets in Google and it'll come up . Or you can use ChatGPT , of course , to help create a list .

So in the end you'll just want word parts that can be mixed and matched in multiple ways to create lots of words , and you can also use base words in addition to or in place of root words . And the major difference here is that root words don't often stand alone .

So , like the Greek dyna means power , but it isn't really a word until you add it to , like the words dynamic or dynamite . Base words , on the other hand , are words in the dictionary , like the word stop . So totally up to you , because either way , decoding skills will be in play here .

So next you're going to use this list to create cards by printing all the prefixes , suffixes and root words or base words , so again , at least 12 from each category here . Cut them out to be about the size of index cards . You could also just write them on index cards , which would be super simple .

So the version of this activity that includes more movement , which I also would pick uh , will be a word part relay . So if you have a small classroom this can be done outside , or another large room , maybe the pe you , the gym is open for you , whatever .

So place students in groups of three to four and put them at tables or groups of desks at the outer parts of the room , in the center of your classroom . Then you're going to have a table or a set of desks with three sections of cards face up . There will be a section for the prefixes , a section for the suffixes and a section for the root words .

So students should be able to read the words on the cards . So place them in a way that it is easy for them to read and choose the cards . So for round one , the first student from each team runs in a safe way . I always say I always kind of have somebody model like what does it look like to safely run in the classroom .

So they're going to run safely to the prefix section . They're going to pick up a card and then run back safely to their team and place the card on their team's table or desk . For round two , the next student from each team runs safely to the root or base word section , picks up a card and adds it to the first card .

For then round three , the third student from each team runs to the suffix section , picks up a card and adds it to the first card . For then round three , the third student for each team runs to the suffix section , picks a card and adds it to their team's other two cards .

So then , after the first three rounds , each team should have one prefix , one root word and one suffix . The team is then going to work together to form a valid word or words using those cards . They do not have to use all three cards . So , for example , they might find a word with only a prefix and a root word .

They should write their word or words on a sheet of paper , along with what they believe are the definitions of those words . So , for instance , if a group has the prefix un , the root word friend and the suffix li , they could create the words friendly , unfriendly or unfriend .

So once a team forms a word or words or determines that they can't create a word , they can send a team member with one of their cards to return it and choose another card of the same type a prefix , a root word or a suffix . At this point some strategy is needed , right , because they're trying to find something that they're going to use to build a word .

So , as students think about the best word part to add to their team's two cards that's kind of their strategy here Then they bring this new card back to their team to try to create additional words . So , for example , the earlier group could return the suffix ly and take the suffix ship to create friendship .

And the process continues for as many rounds as you would like and also just a quick note here you can also have students pick up two cards from each category instead of just one and then replace two cards at a time during the game . If you want students to just have more , you know options to work with . I like it .

So spelling is something that you really could address with your students . You could point it out to them and have like that teachable moment about word parts again , and then you can just talk about it during the scoring process when they're sharing the words they created .

So I just think like that's an added bonus if you wanted to address it with your students .

, very good . So let's talk about how the scoring process works . So , once the rounds are finished , scoring is where you'll dig further into the decoding . So have the first group read the first word on their list . If any other group has that word , everyone should cross that off their list .

Then write that word on the board and , as a class , point out the prefix , the root or base word and or suffix . Talk about the meaning of the word , then , and you can also talk about whether the spelling of the root or base has changed and why .

And then repeat this process with a group reading a word , everyone crossing the word off if it's a repeat word , and then reviewing the word and its parts on the board , and the winner is the group at the end that has the most words that were not crossed off their list .

And these words , these are the words that , of course , no other group has come up with .

And they're like what is happening ? Right , you just want to build up that hype , and it just makes it so much more fun . That's when students are like can we do that ? So if , though , you're like okay , that's just too much for me , I need something a little more simple , a little more stationary , then this is the version for you .

So what you would do is you would place your students in groups of three to four and then , instead of printing one set of prefix , suffix and root word cards for the entire class right , those ones that went in the middle before Instead you'll just print out a list of these word parts for each group , and you want to make sure you know that it's written kind

of big on your paper that you're going to print out , because you're going to have students cut out the word parts so that they can move them around on their table and this way students can physically manipulate the pieces to create different words right at their desks .

And you'll just give students a certain amount of time maybe seven minutes , eight minutes , whatever and you're gonna challenge the teams to create and write down as many words as they can using their word parts , have them include what they believe are the definitions and then do the same scoring process as that other version that Megan shared , where students read the

words off their lists and review them on the board , and if any group comes up with something that's not a real world word , you probably don't want to count it as a point , but absolutely talk about it Like what would be the meaning of that invented word ? Would that be a helpful word for us to have in our language ? Like when would we use it ?

And I just think that's such , again , a teachable moment . It makes me think of the book Frindle by Andrew Clemens . Should we read that book , megan ?

We had just finished that story and it was picture day at school and there's a scene in the book where they say Frindle and hold up a pen . And I was like , well , we can't hold up the pen , it's for the yearbook , but absolutely say Frindle . And it's just like , oh , I love that group of kids . So again , like , talk about those invented words .

It's a really great opportunity for building up the discussion of vocabulary .

Some great extension activities for this would actually be to have students go on a hunt for these words inside their class texts maybe , or even create short writing pieces that include words with these parts . It's just a good way of getting them to again apply everything to their writing , which is so key , I think .

So students will already know the rules , they'll have some strategies in place , they'll love playing it again , it'll go smoother , like all the things . So we hope you give this activity a try . It's so much fun Again , whichever version works best for you and your students . And that again wraps up this episode on decoding . But please join us next time .

It's our last episode I believe in in this series . We're going to talk about another word recognition concept , and that's sight recognition . So sight words aren't just for elementary school students , right ? They're actually incredibly useful in middle school too , and we're going to be sharing such cool ideas . I just love this entire series .

Again , kudos to Pat and our team for coming up with all these ideas , for sharing them with all of you Like they are so good . And this next one we're going to be talking about word walls as a part of this and , like it's just fun , I'm excited to share it with you . So join us for that episode and have a fantastic week everyone . Bye , everybody .