Decoding & Encoding: What Are the Differences?
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Have you ever wondered, “What is decoding?” or “What is encoding?” Learn the definitions, the differences, get resources to practice, and understand why they’re essential components to literacy success.
Differences Between Decoding & Encoding
Decoding is another word for the reading process, while encoding is another word for the spelling process.
Both processes are essential to literacy, and while there are some similarities between the two, there are also some important differences. Keep reading to explore them!
What Is Decoding?
Decoding Definition: Decoding is the process where the brain translates printed words into spoken words. To put it simply, it’s the process of sounding out words.
A child must look at a written word, connect written letters (graphemes) to sounds (phonemes), and then blend those sound together to read a word.
📑 Here a look into the decoding process:
- First, the brain must recognize the letters: d-o-g.
- Next, it must instantly match each letter (symbol) to its corresponding sound (phoneme): d = /d/, o = /ŏ/, g = /g/.
- Then, we must blend those sounds together, in the right order: /d/ + /ŏ/ + /g/.
- Finally, we need to recognize the word we’re trying to read and pronounce it correctly: dog.
Decoding to a print-to-speech process. We see written letters (print) and connect them to the sounds (speech) in order to read.
Whenever you come across an unfamiliar written word and break it down— whether by sounds or syllables— you’re engaging in the process of decoding.
What Is Encoding?
Encoding Definition: Encoding is the process where we take spoken words and transcribe each sound in the word by representing it with a written letter or letters.
📝 Here a look into the encoding process:
- First, we must segment (or isolate) each sound in a spoken word. dog = /d/ /ŏ/ /g/.
- Next, they must match each sound (phoneme) to its corresponding letter/s (grapheme): /d/ = d, /ŏ/ = o, /g/ = g.
- Then, we must write the letters in the right order: dog.
Encoding to a speech-to-print process. We segment the sounds we hear in word (speech) and connect them to their written letters (print) in order to spell words.
So anytime you spell a word you aren’t sure about, you are engaging in the process of encoding.
In order to simplify things, let’s think of decoding as the reading process and encoding as the spelling process. Decoding helps us read words that are already written, while encoding lets us spell words we want to write.
Why They’re Both Important
Decoding and encoding are connected processes. To become strong readers and writers, students will need explicit instruction and repeated practice in both. But why?
➡️ Both decoding and encoding rely heavily on phonemic awareness. But different phonemic awareness skills are needed for each.
- For decoding, blending is the primary focus. Kids see the letters, connect them to sounds, and blend the sounds to read the words.
- For encoding, segmenting is the primary focus. Kids break words down to their individual speech sounds, connect those sounds to their written letters, then write the letters in the correct order.
➡️ Decoding and encoding also rely heavily on on phonics. Phonics is all about sound-symbol correspondences, which is needed for both decoding and encoding.
➡️ Both decoding and encoding are processes for promoting orthographic mapping, which helps us read and write automatically!
Is Encoding Harder to Master?
Encoding is a more complex skill than decoding, so it is harder for students to master. This is because spelling a word is a lot more difficult than simply recognizing and pronouncing it.
And that’s the case for a few reasons:
- Memory Demands: Spelling requires recalling and reproducing exact letter sequences from memory.
- Sound Patterns: In spelling, students must break down sounds and match them to specific letters, which can be tricky due to English’s many ways to spell sounds. For example: English has 44 phonemes (sounds), but it has over 250 graphemes (ways to spell those sounds). Just think about this: the long o sound can be spelled five different ways!
- Spelling Generalizations: Spelling requires the knowledge of common spelling rules, such as the floss rule, c vs k rule, or doubling rule.
- Word Patterns: While there are many reliable patterns in English, many irregular words will have parts that do not follow these patterns.
- Homophones and Silent Letters: Spelling requires remembering details like silent letters and homophones (e.g., “there” vs. “their”).
Read our post and learn SEVEN powerful spelling strategies for effective teaching!
Resources for Encoding Practice
Remember, encoding does take more practice to master, so it’s especially important to for students to practice.
Students can practice encoding with these resources:
- Word Ladders for Word Chaining
- Orthographic Mapping Printables (free!)
- Word Work Folder with phonics skills picture cards
Resources for Decoding Practice
For Science of Reading Aligned practice to target decoding, check these resources out:
- Best FREE Decodable Texts
- Ultimate Dictation Bundle for reading and spelling.
- Heart Words for practice with irregular words.
- Elkonin Boxes for Orthographic mapping practice.
Conclusion
Both decoding and encoding are important and necessary processes that teachers and parents need to understand. They are connected processes, and it’s important that students recieve explicit instruction in both.
⚠️ Parents: If your child is having difficulty with these skills, don’t wait and hope it will just “click” on its own. It’s important to get the right kind of instruction from a literacy specialist.
Explore LL Reading Services, our online Structured Literacy (OG) therapy group where we are dedicated to helping your child make real progress!
