Help Your Child Sound Out New Words: Free Decoding Strategy Poster

When your child reaches an unfamiliar word, they may pause, look at you, and ask, “What does this say?”

That moment is an opportunity to practise a reading strategy together. A simple reminder can help you guide your child through the word without overwhelming them with too many instructions.

Our free Decoding Strategy Poster from Tazamach Learning Press™ gives children five clear steps to follow when reading new words. Display it in your learning space or keep it beside your child during reading practice.

What Is Decoding?

Decoding means using the relationship between letters and sounds to read written words.

For example, when reading ship, a child identifies sh as two letters that represent one sound, says the sounds /sh/ /i/ /p/, and blends them together to read the word.

The poster makes this process visible with simple directions and an example children can practise.

Five Steps to Practise Together

1. Look at the word. Start on the left and look at every letter. Encourage your child to follow the written word carefully.

2. Find letter teams. Look for familiar letters that work together, such as sh, ch, th, and ee. Practise teams your child has already been taught.

3. Say the sounds. Help your child say each sound from left to right. For ship, that means /sh/ /i/ /p/.

4. Blend the sounds. Bring the sounds together and say the whole word. Model this first if your child needs support, then let them try.

5. Read it again. Once your child reads the word, have them reread the sentence and check whether it makes sense. If something sounds wrong, return to the letters and sounds together.

   
   

How to Use the Poster at Home

Introduce the poster during a calm moment. Choose a short word containing sounds your child knows and demonstrate each step.

You might say:

“Let’s look at this word. I see sh at the beginning. Those letters work together. Now let’s say the sounds and blend them.”

During later reading practice, point to the step your child needs. You do not have to repeat all five directions every time.

If your child encounters a sound or spelling pattern they have not learned, provide help with that part. Then invite them to blend the word again. Keep practice manageable and choose reading material that lets them use familiar skills.

Encourage the Process

Notice the specific work your child does:

• “You looked at every letter.”

• “You spotted the sh team.”

• “You blended those sounds together.”

• “You went back and tried again.”

These small moments give you something positive and concrete to acknowledge, even when a word takes more than one attempt.

Download Your Free Decoding Strategy Poster

Add this free printable to your homeschool reading corner, classroom, or tutoring space. Use it as a shared reminder while helping your child work through unfamiliar words.

Download your free Decoding Strategy Poster from Tazamach Learning Press™ and practise the steps together—one word at a time.

Click Me To Download Your Free Decoding Strategy Poster