What is the purpose of chunking words as a strategy for struggling readers?

• A. Breaking words into smaller parts to decode.
• B. Reading only whole words.
• C. Relying on pictures.
• D. Reading slowly without strategies.

Answer: (A)

Chunking words into smaller, pronounceable parts helps with decoding. For readers who struggle with multisyllabic or unfamiliar words, breaking a word into manageable chunks lets them apply letter-sound relationships step by step, rather than guessing the whole word. This approach can be by syllables (like to-mor-row) or by meaningful parts such as prefixes, bases, and suffixes (care-ful-ly). As students practice, they become more accurate at sounding out words and more fluent, which supports understanding of the text.

Reading only whole words doesn’t give a decoding plan for new words, relying on pictures isn’t a decoding strategy, and reading slowly without a strategy doesn’t help students learn how to break down and pronounce words they don’t know.