#65: How to Build Comprehension Before Students Can Decode
You know that moment when a student who struggles to read a simple CVC word raises their hand during read-aloud time and nails a comprehension question? It’s that jarring realization: This child understands more than they can decode. I remember sitting there, book in hand, torn between focusing on phonics or encouraging these amazing thinking skills. But here’s the truth I wish I’d known sooner: we don’t have to choose.
We can build comprehension before students can decode. In fact, it’s essential.
Comprehension and Decoding: The Offense and Defense of Reading
Think of decoding and comprehension as the offense and defense of a sports team. You can’t win the game with just one. A child might be able to decode “elephant,” but if they don’t know what it means, the word is meaningless. On the flip side, if they know all about zoo animals but can’t read their names, they’re locked out of independent reading success.
To build fluent, confident readers, we need to strengthen both decoding and comprehension—even from day one.
5 Practical Ways to Build Comprehension Before Students Can Decode
If you’re wondering what this actually looks like in the classroom, here are five simple strategies you can start using today:
1. Prioritize Read Alouds with Rich Discussion
Don’t stress about what you read—just make sure you do. Choose a mix of fiction and nonfiction to expose students to different vocabulary and ideas. Think planets, fairy tales, or animals. Then get students talking. Ask open-ended questions, encourage them to turn and talk, and model deep thinking out loud. Comprehension grows through conversation.
2. Model and Practice Oral Comprehension Strategies
Reading a story aloud? Pause and wonder out loud: “Hmm, I wonder why he did that?” Then ask students to predict, summarize, or ask their own questions—all orally. These strategies help students learn how to think deeply about a text before they ever have to write about it.
3. Pair Decodable Texts with Big Questions
Yes, even a sentence like “The cat sat” can spark discussion. Why did the cat sit? What might happen next? When students read decodable text, ask questions that stretch their thinking beyond the literal.
4. Build Background Knowledge Through Listening
Podcasts, audiobooks, and high-quality read-alouds introduce students to new vocabulary and world knowledge. Teach target words before listening, and pause to discuss them in context. This sets the stage for comprehension success later on.
5. Introduce Morphology Early
Even in Pre-K or kindergarten, start playing with prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Show how “un-” flips “fortunate” to “unfortunate” or how “-ed” turns “walk” into “walked.” Morphology helps students make meaning, even before they’re fluent readers.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- Why comprehension and decoding are both essential from the start.
- How to use read alouds to build thinking skills.
- Questions to ask with simple decodable texts.
- The power of spoken language in comprehension development.
- Easy ways to introduce morphology to young learners.
Bringing It All Together
You don’t have to wait until a student can decode to build their comprehension. In fact, waiting holds them back. By using spoken language, rich texts, and intentional strategies, you can nurture confident thinkers and future readers—even in your youngest students.
Want More Support? Join The Science of Reading Formula
Ready to dive deeper into read aloud strategies, comprehension routines, or early morphology lessons? Get immediate access to bite-sized trainings and print-and-go tools inside The Science of Reading Formula. It’s all waiting for you inside the vault.
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