A teacher administers a running record to a second-grade student and notices the student is struggling with decoding multisyllabic words. Which of the following instructional approaches would best address the student's difficulty?

Teaching syllable types and syllable division rules is particularly effective in addressing a student's difficulty with decoding multisyllabic words because it equips the student with the tools necessary to break down complex words into manageable parts. Understanding different syllable types—such as closed, open, silent e, and vowel teams—allows students to recognize patterns in words, facilitating better decoding skills. Additionally, teaching syllable division rules helps students know where to divide words into syllables, which is crucial when encountering unfamiliar or longer words.

This instructional approach directly targets the specific area of difficulty for the student by providing structured strategies that aid in the decoding process. As students learn to identify syllables and apply the rules associated with them, their confidence and ability in tackling multisyllabic words will improve over time, leading to better overall reading skills.