What are Decodable Books?
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If you’ve spent any time in literacy education lately, you’ve probably heard the term “decodable books”. Some educators see them as essential to early literacy instruction, as recommended by the science of reading. Others worry they sound unnatural or restrictive. So what role should decodable texts actually play in learning to read?
Over the last few months, I’ve had many conversations with educators discussing the characteristics of decodables and the merits of using them in early literacy instruction. I often find that the act of writing a blog post helps me solidify my own thinking, so I thought it was about time for a post on this topic!
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So what defines a Decodable Book/Decodable text?
Reading Rockets provides the following description:
Decodable books are simple books written for beginning readers that contain the specific grapheme–phoneme correspondences students have learned. Decodable books are sequential in nature and build phonics knowledge gradually, allowing students the opportunity to practice grapheme–phoneme correspondences and quickly build their confidence and ability to read connected text.
I like this definition because it reminds us that decodable books are meant to be paired with instruction (note that it says, “grapheme-phoneme correspondence that students have learned”). While this definition only specifically mentions grapheme-phoneme correspondence, it is important to understand that decodable texts can have a far wider reach. Morphology, irregular words, and orthographic conventions can also be systematically woven into decodable texts.
The following points are key:
- Decodable texts follow a Scope and Sequence that outlines all concepts covered in a series, and the order in which they appear in texts
- Decodable texts are controlled and progressive – only taught concepts are included in each text, and previous concepts are reviewed
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It is important to understand that decodable texts are a tool for a purpose.
Through structured literacy, we systematically, explicitly, and cumulatively teach students the building blocks of the English Language (grapheme/phoneme correspondence, orthographic conventions, morphology, etc.). Students require time and opportunity to consolidate this learning. Decodable books provide an opportunity for students to apply this knowledge in a meaningful context. This meaningful practice, guided by educators, is essential for students, and ultimately consolidates the core understanding that reading is always about getting meaning from text.
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Decodable Texts and Orthographic Mapping
Decodable books are designed to provide students with meaningful decoding practice. The ultimate goal, however, is orthographic mapping. Orthographic Mapping is the cognitive process that makes “sight words” possible. The spelling (graphemes) of words is linked to the sounds (phonemes) of spoken words. The goal of this process is “to bond the spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of specific words in memory”. (Ehri, 2014) Students will initially be working on sounding out words, but in time, those same words will become “sight” words, instantly recognized by students.
At the beginning of literacy instruction, students may need to sound out the majority of the words on a page. Decoding each word requires a fair amount of cognitive energy, leaving less attention for the meaning of a text. Because of this, it is a good idea for students to read the same book more than once. This can promote fluency and orthographic mapping of common words.
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Using Decodables in Small Groups
Decodable books are designed to provide meaningful practice of taught concepts. Small groups are an effective way to provide this practice. The process is not completely dissimilar from when we were implementing guided reading groups. The following ideas are key:
- Each student has their own copy of the book
- Have a brief discussion before reading, but keep it brief. We are not doing a full book walk; rather, we are activating prior knowledge and setting the scene. The goal is for students to practice word-solving skills in a meaningful context, using their knowledge of grapheme/phoneme correspondence, orthographic conventions, and morphology
- Students independently (and quietly) read the book aloud – educator switches from student to student, listening and supporting reading as needed
- A comprehension discussion should be had after reading. This can include anything from an informal discussion to asking students specific questions.
As mentioned above, multiple reads of the same book is beneficial. This can be done through repeated small group sessions, take-home practice, or reading to a volunteer or a reading buddy.
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Limitations of Decodable Books
While decodable texts play an important role in early literacy instruction, they have their limitations. Word constraints due to the Scope and Sequence can create texts that are less “natural” sounding than other kinds of texts. Here are some examples:
- Unusual Grammar: The man did jump. (might be seen if suffix <-ed> hasn’t been introduced yet)
- Unusual Word Choice: Dan is a rad kid! (very few adjectives are CVC words)
- Stilted Language: Cat got on Dad. (might be seen early in a series before any affixes covered)
Decodable texts also aren’t the best for vocabulary development. The Scope and Sequence inhibits authors from including a wide range of words in the texts, for example:
- Words that originate from other languages:
- Words like ski (Norse) and kayak (Greenlandic Inuit)
- Celebrations like Hanukkah (Hebrew) and Diwali (Sanskrit)
- Names like Ami (Japanese) and Sean (Irish)
- Irregular words
- Such as where, people, or once
- Words with more advanced affixes and/or letter strings such as ocean, fracture, or social
Vocabulary development is critical. Two steps are required for a student to successfully decode a word:
- The first step involves sounding out a string of phonemes.
- The second step is matching these phonemes to a known word.
If a student is sounding out the word “focus” but doesn’t know the word, they will not know when they have successfully read it. Decodable texts are essential for providing decoding practice, but non-controlled texts are vital for vocabulary development and language comprehension.
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In Summary
Decodable texts are a tool for a purpose.
They provide practice of taught concepts in a meaningful context. If, for example, we are systematically teaching grapheme/phoneme correspondences, students need opportunities to practice using those correspondences. Decodable texts, however, are not a natural representation of our language. It is important to expose students to a wider range of texts in order to develop language comprehension and build vocabulary.
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