Decoding is the process of sounding out words by applying phonetic rules (the sounds made by letters or groups of letters) to recognize and pronounce words. A decodable text is a type of reading material designed to help early readers practice and reinforce their phonics and decoding skills, and to develop the foundational skills needed for proficient reading.
A truly decodable text is designed as a part of a systematic progression, which introduces one skill at a time and builds upon the previous skills that have been taught. Each skill falls within their predictable patterns and rules.
A quality decodable collection includes a strategic and scaffolded scope and sequence, which outlines the progression of each skill that is taught (where one skill builds on the last), and is aligned with common research-based practices.
Decodable texts are meant to align with the direct phonics instruction a student has received. An individual text is specifically chosen for a reader and provides an opportunity to practice the skills previously learned, so that a proficient decoder can successfully read the entire text.
Tricky words, heart words, or high-frequency words — whatever the phrase used to describe common words that are not decodable (such as “a,” “the,” “and,” “is,” “of”) — are previewed prior to reading the decodable text.
Decodable texts play a crucial role in early literacy development. By providing a structured and systematic approach to reading, these texts empower readers to build essential phonetic and decoding skills.
A balanced approach to advancing students’ literacy includes decodable instruction alongside comprehension and vocabulary support, through engaging books that promote a love of reading.
Whether you need a vast collection to provide a comprehensive decodable program, or you’re looking to supplement your current decodable curriculum or collection, Mackin can help.
Contact our classroom experts or fill out a custom list request.
When you need a robust collection with research-backed scope & sequence alignment, along with teacher manuals to support instruction.
When you need great titles to support your decodable curriculum.
classroomservices@mackin.com | 800.245.9540
Each language has a different set of rules and ways to learn the basic sound-symbol correspondences within that language. You cannot apply the same rules to different languages. The resources on this page feature English decodables only. Reach out to our team of Classroom experts for help with finding English Learner resources.
Many of the publishers featured here offer decodables that are also engaging for older readers, beyond grade 2. Shop specifically for those texts here – we recommend sorting by “Series Title” for your review, or referencing our Decodable Publisher Guide linked above.
