What are "decoding skills"?

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Decoding skills refer specifically to the ability to sound out words using knowledge of phonics and spelling patterns. This involves breaking down words into their constituent sounds (phonemes) and blending those sounds together to form a recognizable word. Mastery of decoding is crucial for reading proficiency, as it enables individuals to read unfamiliar words, thereby enhancing their overall literacy.

Understanding decoding is fundamental, as it is one of the earliest skills that learners develop when acquiring reading. This skill is closely tied to phonemic awareness, which is the recognition that spoken words are made up of individual sounds. A strong foundation in decoding leads to better reading fluency and comprehension, as it allows for quicker recognition and processing of words.

In contrast, the other options touch upon different areas of literacy or skills not necessarily related to the foundational ability to read words accurately and fluently. Memorizing entire texts and analyzing themes involve higher-level thinking and comprehension, while skills that are unrelated to reading or writing fall outside the scope of literacy development. Therefore, the focus on phonics and spelling patterns as the essence of decoding skills is what makes this choice correct.

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