Building Decoding Skills to Support Multisyllabic Word Reading

This session focuses on building decoding skills to support multisyllabic word reading for students in grades 4–9. Adolescent literacy practices are connected to a multi-tiered system of supports framework, emphasizing the use of assessment data to identify student needs and select evidence-based instructional responses. The session highlights the importance of distinguishing between decoding, fluency, and comprehension challenges; using assessment tools such as oral reading fluency measures and phonics inventories; and implementing consistent, explicit decoding routines that help students read complex multisyllabic words across content areas.

In this session, participants:
– explore practical examples, via a classroom demonstration of decoding instruction,
– discuss how instructional intensity varies across tiers of support, and
– reflect on ways to strengthen literacy practices and systems within their schools and districts.

Note: This is the second session in the five-part professional learning series, Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Evidence-Based Literacy Practices Through GaMTSS. All sessions in the series are facilitated by experts in the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School (PRISMS) Toolkit, including toolkit developers and those leading PRISMS professional development in other states. The PRISMS Toolkit and the IES Practice Guide, Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9, serve as supporting resources.

Primary Contact: Jody Drum - jody.drum@doe.k12.ga.us

Secondary Contact: Rebecca Wright - rebecca.wright@doe.k12.ga.us