Strategies for Decoding Words

1. Try a long vowel (the name of the letter) when:

• there is a silent e (example: came)

"The silent e is bossy. It says, "Say your name!"

• there are two vowels together (example: cream)

"When two vowels go a walking, the first one does the talking and says its name."

• there is only one consonant after a single vowel (example: agent).

2. When there is a "y" on the end...

• of a single syllable word, try the long i sound (try)


• of a multisyllabic word, try the long e sound (family)

3. Cover and read one syllable (or even on sound) at a time in difficult words

(example: fre quent ly)