Strategies for Decoding Words
Chunk the word
- Look for a chunk you know (-ing, -and, -art)
- Look for a word part you know (be-,-er)
Skip it!
- Skip the word.
- Read to the end of the sentence.
- Go back and re-read it.
Stretch Out the Word
- Stretch the word out slowly.
- Put the sounds together to figure out the word
Get Your Lips Ready
- Say the first sounds of the word out loud.
Flip the Vowel Sound
- Try the other vowel sound.
- Flip a short sound for a long sound and vice versa.
Celebrate Success!
Use fist bumps, high fives, and goofy words and phrases such as:
- Woo Hoo!
- Yippee Skippy!
- Huzza!
- Hip, Hip, Hooray!
- Oh Yea!
- Awesome!
- Maaarvelous!
- Knock my socks off!
- Crazy Good!
- Good Stuff!
- Stupendous!
- Cool!
Tips for Working with ELL Students
- Speak slower, not louder.
- Act out the words if possible.
- Use your phone to find photos or pictures of words in the book.
- Draw pictures or have your student draw pictures.
- Provide “wait time” allow your student time to process the text and your questions.
- Don’t rescue students when they struggle to speak. smile, relax your face and hands and wait.
- Know that ESL/ELL students may go through a “silent period” when they are afraid to speak. It will usually pass as they become more confident. Often their Lead to Read KC reading buddy is the first person they feel comfortable talking to.
