Encoding and Decoding: The Building Blocks of Confident Readers and Writers
Have you ever wondered how children go from knowing a few letter sounds to reading books on their own?
It might seem like reading develops naturally once children learn the alphabet, but there's actually a carefully planned sequence that helps children make sense of our written language. Rather than memorizing hundreds of words, children learn how sounds work together, how letters represent those sounds, and how changing just one sound can create an entirely new word.
That process begins with two important skills: decoding (reading words) and encoding (spelling words). Although they look different, they develop side by side and support one another every step of the way.
The wonderful part is that this journey doesn't begin with hundreds of words. It begins with just a few letters, a few sounds, and a systematic approach that helps children build confidence one step at a time.
What the Research Tells Us
Research-based approaches like Orton-Gillingham and UFLI may organize their lessons a little differently, but they share an important belief: children learn best when phonics skills are taught in a logical sequence that builds on what they already know.
Many systematic phonics programs begin with a small set of high-utility letters such as m, s, t, a, p, and n. While the exact order varies between programs like Orton-Gillingham and UFLI, the goal is the same: teach enough letters for children to quickly begin reading and spelling meaningful words.
With just a few letters, children can begin reading and spelling simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like:
sat, mat, map, Sam, am, at
With only a handful of letters, children are already experiencing success. That early success builds confidence, which encourages them to keep learning.
Building Words One Sound at a Time
Once children can read and spell simple CVC words, we don't immediately introduce more complicated spelling patterns. Instead, we strengthen what they already know by helping them recognize that changing just one sound changes the entire word.
A progression might look like this:
sat → mat → map → mop → top
Notice that only one sound changes each time.
Children first learn to manipulate the beginning sound because it is usually the easiest to hear.
Once they can do that consistently, they move on to changing the ending sound.
Finally, they practice changing the middle vowel sound, which is often the most challenging because vowel sounds can be very similar.
Teaching one change at a time allows children to focus on a single new skill without becoming overwhelmed.
Encoding and Decoding Work Together
One of the most effective ways to build these skills is by moving back and forth between listening, spelling, and reading.
You might say:
"Listen to the word sat. What sounds do you hear?"
Your child responds:
/s/ /a/ /t/
Then they build or write the word.
Next you might say:
"Now change sat to mat."
Only the first sound changes.
Then:
"Now change mat to map."
Now only the last sound changes.
Eventually:
"Change map to mop."
Now they're manipulating the middle vowel.
These simple activities strengthen children's understanding that words are made of individual sounds that can be changed, substituted, added, or removed. This understanding becomes the foundation for both reading and spelling.
Sometimes Your Child Doesn't Even Need Letters
One of the most overlooked ways to strengthen reading is by practicing without writing anything at all.
You don't always need magnetic letters, worksheets, or a pencil.
Sometimes the most powerful learning happens through listening.
For example:
"I'll say sat. Change the first sound to /m/. What word did you make?"
Or:
"Say map. Now change the last sound to /t/."
These quick activities strengthen phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words. Children who develop strong phonemic awareness often have an easier time connecting those sounds to letters when they read and write.
The best part is that these games can happen anywhere—in the car, while cooking dinner, on a walk, or waiting in line at the store.
Where Phonics Goes Next
Once children have mastered CVC words, instruction continues to build in a systematic way.
Typically, the next skills include:
Beginning blends
Ending blends
Digraphs such as sh, ch, th, and wh
Silent e (often called Magic e)
More advanced vowel teams and vowel patterns
Each new concept builds upon previously learned skills so children continue to grow their reading and spelling abilities without relying on memorization alone.
We'll dive deeper into those next steps in next week's Saturday blog.
Everyday Learning
Helping your child doesn't require a formal lesson every day.
While driving to practice, preparing dinner, or folding laundry together, try saying a simple word and asking your child to change just one sound.
Start with beginning sounds:
"Change cat to hat."
Then ending sounds:
"Change hat to ham."
Finally, middle sounds:
"Change ham to him."
These conversations only take a minute or two, but they strengthen the listening and thinking skills that support successful readers and writers.
Remember, learning doesn't only happen when children sit at a table. Some of the most meaningful learning happens naturally throughout the day.
E3 Takeaway
This week, choose one simple CVC word and play "Change the Sound" with your child. Focus on changing just one sound at a time—beginning, then ending, then middle. Five minutes of playful practice can make a big difference in building the foundation for reading and spelling.
From the Teacher's Desk
Just recently, I watched my young nephew read a simple CVC word on his own. It was only three letters, but the excitement and pride on his face said everything. In that moment, he wasn't thinking about all the phonics skills he still had to learn. He was thinking, "I can read!"
One of my favorite moments as a teacher is seeing children experience that same feeling.
Children don't need to know every phonics pattern or spelling rule before they experience success. By teaching one concept at a time and allowing children to master simple CVC words first, they begin to feel confident and capable. That confidence matters because when children believe they can do something, they're more willing to keep trying, tackle new challenges, and celebrate each new skill they master.
Reading isn't built overnight. It's built one sound, one word, and one success at a time.
