What is the primary purpose of the chunking strategy in decoding?

The chunking strategy is primarily used in decoding to break words into manageable parts, allowing readers to process and understand text more effectively. This method helps individuals identify smaller components within longer or more complex words, such as syllables or common prefixes and suffixes. By learning to recognize these parts, readers can decode unfamiliar words more easily, contributing to overall fluency and comprehension.

While memorizing full words, enhancing vocabulary development, and improving reading speed are all important aspects of reading, they aren't the main focus of the chunking strategy. Instead, chunking specifically addresses the challenge of breaking down words into understandable sections, which is essential for effective decoding. This foundational skill sets the stage for further reading development, allowing readers to tackle increasingly complex texts with greater confidence.