Reading Strategies—Decoding

Content code

e0128

Slug (identifier)

reading-strategies-decoding

Parent content

Reading Strategies

Grades

Secondary I

Secondary II

Secondary III

Secondary IV

Secondary V

Topic

English Language Arts

Content

Contenu

Content

Corps

Decoding is finding out the meanings of words.

Columns number

3 columns

Format

33% / 33% / 33%

First column

Corps

When to do it

While reading the text

Second column

Corps

Reading intention

Understand unknown words

Third column

Corps

Outcome

Better comprehension
Increase vocabulary

Corps

How to Do It

Look for Familiarity in the Word
Use Context Clues

Title (level 2)

Look for Familiarity in the Word

Title slug (identifier)

look-for-familiarity-in-the-word

Contenu

Corps

Words are formed according to certain guidelines. Longer words are put together by using smaller root words, prefixes, suffixes and sometimes elements borrowed from other languages.
By looking for familiar elements and comparing to similar known words, it is possible to interpret its meaning.

Content

Columns number

2 columns

Format

50% / 50%

First column

Image

Diagram showing the word “hydrophobia’ is made of two parts. Part one is “hydro” which relates to water. The second part is “phobia” which means fear. Meaning the word “hydrophobia “stands for fear of water.

Second column

Image

Diagram showing the word “polymorph” is made of two parts. Part one is “poly” which means many. The second part is “morph” which means shape. Meaning the word “polymorph” stands for many shapes, like a shape-changer.

Title (level 2)

Use Context Clues

Title slug (identifier)

use-context-clues

Contenu

Corps

How, where and why a word is used can provide useful clues to its meaning.

Title (level 3)

Examples of context clues to look for.

Title slug (identifier)

examples-of-context-clues-to-look-for

Columns number

3 columns

Format

33% / 33% / 33%

First column

Corps

Word function

Look for the word’s function in the sentence. Is it:

a verb expressing an action or a state?
a noun representing a person, an object or a concept?
an adjective describing qualities?
an adverb modifying a verb, an adjective or another adverb?

Second column

Corps

Other words around it

Look around for unfamiliar words for:

synonyms
examples relating to it
descriptions
explanations

Third column

Corps

Text topic

Think of the general topic of the text. What makes sense?

with the themes
with the setting
with the text type
with the author’s intentions
with the literary genre

Content

Corps

The word bipedal in this short passage:	”Where are we?” asked Jim to the bipedal feline. “Also, how can a cat walk on two legs?” he added after a short pause. The cat only smiled and kept walking.
Word function	bipedal is an adjective describing feline.
Other words around it: synonym	“... a cat walk on two legs?..”
Text topic	Text type: narrative text Genre: science fiction/ fantasy
Meaning	The adjective bipedal describes a cat walking on 2 legs. Plausible in a narrative text in the science fiction or fantasy genre.=

Title (level 2)

Reading Strategies At a Glance

Title slug (identifier)

reading-strategies-at-a-glance

Contenu

Corps

To learn more about a strategy, click its name.

Previewing	Skimming & Scanning	Questioning
Get an overview of the text.	Quickly search & find information	Ask yourself questions
Visualizing	Making Connections	Inferring
Create mental pictures	Relate to the text	Read between the lines
Annotating	Decoding	Summarizing
Write down notes & comments	Understand challenging words	Sum up main idea & key elements
Synthesizing	Evaluating	Analyzing
Explore sources to come up with new perspectives	Form an opinion on the quality of the text	Look at the structure and techniques used

Title (level 2)