The goal of this descriptive study was to investigate the use of decoding strategies, specifically phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency, and vocabulary, to determine if applying the identified decoding strategies would have an effect on the students at-risk for reading failure. The purpose was to determine if these strategies would enable the students to become more successful readers. The specific strategies are an integral part of a balanced literacy program as determined through a review of research and literature. The students were identified as at-risk for reading failure through the school district's procedures. Multiple assessments were analyzed to identify the students at-risk for reading failure including data from Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), Reading Evaluation and Diagnostic System (READS), running records, teacher recommendations, and report card grades. Teachers were observed ten times over a period of three months to monitor the number of times decoding skills, specifically phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency, and vocabulary, were implemented during small group time. Comments and dialogue during the instruction were noted. Lesson plans were also reviewed to note the number of times these strategies were planned. The teacher participants were first, second and third grade teachers and basic skills supplemental teachers that volunteered to participate in the study. Student data was gathered from the fall, winter and spring DIBELS assessments, and fall and spring results from READS and running records. Qualitative data from the teacher observations, discussions about the lessons, lesson plans, and professional development sessions the teachers attended were analyzed in relationship to the data from the students' assessments. The result of the study indicated that effective teaching practices to increase the reading ability of students include: 1) teaching specific phonemic awareness skills and reading strategies; 2) allowing time for guided and independent reading; 3) modeling fluent reading and think-aloud strategies; 4) planning lessons based on students' needs. The results were used to direct teachers in the use of these strategies and to plan professional development for the teachers and staff to fully and effectively utilize the identified strategies in order to assist the students identified as at-risk for reading failure. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]