During decoding-focused instruction, how is comprehension addressed?

• A. Through comprehension instruction that may involve read-aloud sessions
• B. Through silent reading only
• C. It is not addressed
• D. By skipping comprehension

Answer: (A)

In decoding-focused instruction, understanding meaning is still a priority, addressed by integrating comprehension work through read-aloud sessions. When a teacher reads aloud with expression and models thinking, they pause to discuss what the text means, pose questions, and demonstrate strategies like predicting, clarifying, summarizing, and making connections. This modeling helps students see how to think about text while they are learning to decode, building vocabulary and background knowledge that support understanding later and as decoding becomes more fluent. Read-alouds also provide a scaffold so students can practice comprehension before attempting independent, silent reading, making the transfer to independent decoding and meaning-making smoother. The other options miss this integrated approach, either focusing only on silent reading or omitting comprehension altogether.