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 the Australian English curriculum (V9.0 included!), and each resource has undergone the Teach Starter teacher team's thorough review process. Download resources you know you can 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 recognisable 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're teaching 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.
Instead of translating written words into speech, encoding means teaching our students to translate spoken words into written words.
- Plus Plan
Beginning Consonant Digraphs Sorting Activity
Explore words that contain an initial consonant digraph with a set of 24 picture sorting cards.
- Plus Plan
Vowel Digraph Dominoes - OA, OW, and OE
Decode words with oa, ow, and oe vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds using this set of 28 dominoes.
- Free Plan
Th Word List and Flash Cards
Practice reading and spelling words with the Digraph TH with a list of 50 words and accompanying illustrated flash cards.
- Plus Plan
Short OO Words - Word Search
Explore words containing some of the most common ‘short oo’ graphemes with this set of differentiated word searches.
- Plus Plan
Initial L-Blends - Interactive Activity
Become familiar with words that begin with an l-blend using this interactive digital resource.
- Plus Plan
Word Study List - R-Controlled Vowels
Introduce and explore words containing r-controlled vowels with this extensive list of words.
- Plus Plan
Word Study List - Long A Graphemes
Introduce and explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long a’ sound with this extensive list of words.
- Plus Plan
Word Study List - Long I Graphemes
Introduce and explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long i’ sound with this extensive list of words.
- Plus Plan
Long I Graphemes - SCOOT! Task Cards
Explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long i’ sound with this active classroom game that will get your students moving!
- Plus Plan
Consonant Digraphs Poster Pack
Expose your students to the most common consonant digraphs with this set of 9 posters.
- Plus Plan
Consonant Digraph CH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practising their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘ch’ with this fun beach-themed interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
'AI' Diphthong Vowel Team Board Game
Decode words with the ai long vowel team in this word card board game.
- Plus Plan
'AY' Diphthong Vowel Digraph Board Game
Decode words with the ay long vowel team in this board game.
- Plus Plan
Long OO Graphemes - SCOOT! Task Cards
Explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long oo’ sound with this active classroom game that will get your students moving!
- Plus Plan
Initial S-Blends - Interactive Activity
Become familiar with words that begin with an s-blend using this interactive digital resource.
- Plus Plan
Word Study List - S Blends
Introduce and explore words containing an initial s-blend with this extensive list of words.
- Plus Plan
Word Study List - Long E Graphemes
Introduce and explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long e’ sound with this extensive list of words.
- Plus Plan
Long O Graphemes - SCOOT! Task Cards
Explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long o’ sound with this active classroom game that will get your students moving!
- Plus Plan
Long E Graphemes - SCOOT! Task Cards
Explore words containing graphemes that make the ‘long e’ sound with this active classroom game that will get your students moving!
- Plus Plan
Consonant Digraphs Match-Up Activity
Complete words using the correct consonant digraph with this set of match-up cards.
- Plus Plan
Meet Magic E - Poster
Display this educational poster in your classroom to remind your students how words can be transformed by the magic e!
- Plus Plan
Phonics Find Description Cards
A set of 32 task cards prompting students to use their phonics knowledge to find words that include specific sounds.
- Plus Plan
Initial Blends Bingo
30 different bingo cards using beginning sounds.
- Plus Plan
Kn, Ph & Wr Digraph Flashcards
Seventeen flashcards showing kn, ph and wr digraph words and pictures.
- Plus Plan
L-Blends Blending Flashcards
Practise blending l-blends with this set of blending l word cards.
- Plus Plan
R-Blends Blending Flashcards
Practise blending r-blends with this set of blending r word cards.
- Plus Plan
Consonant Digraph WR Interactive
Engage students in practising their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘wr’ with this fun building site-themed interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
Digital Activity for Learning Diphthongs
Practise diphthong knowledge with this fun and engaging digital learning activity.
- Plus Plan
Roll and Read Diphthong Activity
Explore different diphthongs with this fun gamified diphthong activity.
- Plus Plan
Consonant Digraph WH Interactive Activity
Engage students in practising their learning around the consonant digraph of ‘wh’ with this ocean-themed interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
IE Vowel Team Board Game
Practise decoding words with the ie vowel team in this board game.
- Plus Plan
Diphthongs Mini-Book Pack
Learn and practise the different diphthongs with this set of mini activity books.