The start of a new school year is an opportunity for teachers and school leaders to try out new strategies to enhance student learning.
Learn how adding decodable books to your literacy instruction improves early reading skills and sets a strong foundation for future learning.
The Importance of Decodable Books in Literacy Instruction
What Are Decodables?
Developing readers use decodable books to apply their phonics knowledge in a structured way. These books contain words with the phonics patterns students are currently learning or reviewing. This helps students become better readers by giving them many opportunities to practice decoding in an engaging reading experience.
How and When Do I Use Decodables in My Classroom?
When:
- During or after a new phonics lesson
- In small groups or independent practice
- To review previously taught skills
- At home for extra reinforcement
How:
- Use Just Right Reader’s curriculum alignment charts to align them with your school’s phonics curriculum.
- Introduce these books as part of daily reading routine, allowing students to apply their phonics skills in a meaningful context.
- Use decodables in small groups to address specific learning needs and encourage discussion about phonetic patterns.
- Read Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer’s 10 Tips for Using Decodable Books
- Read our detailed guide to using decodable books to understand why they are important for teaching reading effectively.
Why Should I Use Decodables in the Back-to-School Season?
Introducing decodable books at the start of the school year sets the tone for a literacy-focused classroom.
Teachers should include decodable books in their back-to-school plans for several reasons:
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Build Foundational Skills: Decodable books reinforce essential phonics and reading skills helping to accelerate academic achievement.
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Boost Confidence: Decodable books allow students to practice their learned phonics skills and feel successful while reading.
- Engagement: With engaging stories, decodable books make reading enjoyable and help build a positive mindset towards learning at the start of the school year.
2 Tips for Implementing Decodables in Your School
Start Small
You don't need to change your entire reading program to see the benefits of decodable books. Start by including them in your existing plan as additional reading materials for small groups or as part of your intervention plan.
Invest in Training and Professional Development
From in-person sessions to self-paced online modules, Just Right Reader’s Professional Development empowers educators by providing tools grounded in the Science of Reading research to enhance instructional strategies and facilitate small group differentiation.
Use Just Right Reader Decodables in English and Spanish for Back-to-School
Backed by Science
Just Right Reader Decodables are developed using the Science of Reading research, follow a rigorous phonics progression, and align with your phonics program.
Stories That Reflect Students' Lives
Relatable stories and diverse characters boosts engagement and gets kids excited about reading.
Tools for Teachers and Resources for Families
Just Right Reader offers a variety of resources to ensure effective implementation of decodable books. These resources include Getting Started Guides, videos, complete lesson plans, and teacher materials for each decodable.
Every decodable has a QR code that links to a fun video reinforcing the phonics skills taught in the book. This feature helps families support their children at home, especially during the back-to-school transition.
Ready to Transform Your Reading Curriculum?
Developed with leading literacy experts, our libraries are the perfect supplement to structured phonics instruction.
- An extensive library of 750+ titles in English and Spanish
- Explicit phonics instruction in every book
- Lesson plans for every title that are perfect for small groups
- 2-minute video lessons reinforce phonics skills in English and Spanish
- Engaging and relatable stories with diverse characters
- Evidence-based, rigorous phonics scope and sequence that aligns to all phonics programs and curriculums
- Personalized Take-Everywhere Decodable Packs that extend phonics practice from school into homes
