Spotting and Correcting Common Decoding Errors

Share or save this post!

A Guide for Teachers to Identify and Fix Reading Mistakes in Real Time

Decoding is a key skill for early readers, but mistakes are part of the learning process. Some errors are small and self-corrected, while others reveal gaps in phonics knowledge that need attention.

By paying close attention to the types of errors students make, teachers can adjust their instruction and give students the right tools to improve their reading accuracy. Below are common decoding mistakes and simple ways to correct them in real time.

Error Corrections In Decoding

Regardless of the specific type of error the student is making, it is very important to provide immediate corrective feedback. Research has shown that this is the most effective method for error correction. You can do the following 5 steps to provide immediate feedback to students’ decoding errors (info from Pam Kastner):

1. Wait a few seconds to see if the student self-corrects. Sometimes they just need a little processing time to notice and correct their mistake.
2. Point to the word that was misread to prompt the student to correct the word.
3. If the student fails to read it correctly, provide a verbal cue. For example, you can say, “Remember, oe says /ō/.”
4. If the student still needs help, model decoding the word. Try to use this as a last resort.
5. Ask the student to reread the sentence (once they have fixed their mistake) for fluency and comprehension.

In addition to these 5 steps to correcting decoding errors, below are ideas for interventions for specific types of decoding errors.

Common Decoding Errors and How to Correct Them

1. Guessing Words Instead of Decoding

What It Looks Like:

• A student sees the first letter and guesses the word without sounding it out.
• They rely on pictures or context instead of phonics skills.

How to Correct It:

• Cover the pictures to encourage decoding instead of guessing.
• Use a reading window or finger tracking to help guide their eyes through the word.
• Model how to break the word into individual sounds and blend them together.

It’s tempting for students to take shortcuts, but reinforcing phonics over guessing builds long-term reading success.

2. Skipping or Misreading Letter Sounds

What It Looks Like:

• A student reads “cat” instead of “cap” or “ran” instead of “rang.”
• They drop or change sounds, especially at the beginning or end of words.
• They drop a letter or simplify a blend because it feels easier to say.

How to Correct It:

• Use sound isolation activities where students listen for and identify each sound in a word. Segmenting with sound boxes and colored tiles can be really good for this.
• Have students tap or stretch out the sounds before blending them together.
• Point to the part of the word the student read incorrectly and see if they can self-correct.
• Try continuous blending which reduces working memory load.
• Use word chains.
• Focus on how the mouth forms different sounds to help with articulation. Provide students with a mirror to see the mouth formation for each sound.
• Provide decodable texts that include plenty of words with the target sound or spelling pattern.

The video below briefly explains continuous blending and provides some examples.

3. Reversing Letters or Sounds

What It Looks Like:

• A student reads “pat” instead of “tap” or confuses letters like b/d or p/q.

How to Correct It:

• Use multisensory techniques like tracing/writing letters while saying the sound.
• Teach simple visual cues like “b has a belly” or “d has a donut.”
• Focus on how the mouth forms different sounds to help with articulation. Provide students with a mirror to see the mouth formation for each sound.
• Try continuous blending which reduces working memory load.
• Provide handwriting instruction for the target letters.
• Provide decodable texts that include plenty of words with the target sound or letter.

Letter reversals are common, especially in young learners, but consistent practice helps clear up confusion.

4. Difficulty with Vowel Sounds

What It Looks Like:

• A student says “bit” instead of “bat” or misreads vowel teams like “boat” as “bot.”

How to Correct It:

• Use minimal pairs (bit/bat, ship/sheep) to help students hear the difference in sounds.
• Pair vowels with hand signals or keyword images to reinforce their sounds.
• Provide explicit phonics instruction of the vowel sounds.
• Give word sorts focusing on tricky vowel patterns to build familiarity.

Vowel sounds can be tricky, but breaking them down and making them more visual helps students remember them.

The video below is an excellent example of getting a student to read vowel sounds more accurately as well as move away from slowly decoding every word aloud.

Conclusion

Decoding mistakes give teachers clues about what students need to work on. By recognizing these patterns and using targeted strategies, teachers can support students in becoming stronger, more confident readers.

Share or save this post!