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Literacy Quick Hitters:

5 Minutes to Improve Instruction

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Episode 3 - Decodable Texts

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Narrated by:

Michelle Ewald, K-5 Literacy Coach

C.O.O.R. ISD

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General information about decodable

texts

    • Intended to be used for a limited time.

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    • There is not a set % of decodable words that makes a text a better resource.

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    • Best instructional outcomes occur when combined with other text types.

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How do you decide if a decodable text is a quality resource for your students?

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p. 2 - ScienceofReading Research - EVALUATION CHECKLIST (Wiley Blevins)

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Examples from the SoR Checklist

This…

Not that…

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Does the book

make sense?

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Decodable texts should make sense

Top: “The Swim Lesson” (Text Project) - short and long vowels

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Bottom: “Nick Runs to the Books” (UFLI) - short vowels

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Are the texts primarily decodable?

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Most words in the text should be decodable

Last page of

“My Little Hut”

Beyond Decodables

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Is the book engaging?

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Engaging decodable books

Top: What is Hail? (Beyond Decodables)

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Bottom: Fins On

(Just Right Reader)

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There are many reading and writing applications related to decodable texts!

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Application strategies

Incorporate into your phonics lessons using decodable texts

  • Reread the text up to four times. Set a different purpose for each reading.

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  • Do a written retell, using as many of the words with the feature being practiced as possible.

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  • Reread the retell on subsequent days and add to it.

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Meta Analysis Findings

Text Types and Their Relation to Efficacy in Beginning Reading Interventions

Pugh, Kearns, and Hiebert, Reading Research Quarterly (2023)

  • Analyzed results of 119 studies
  • Interventions used a combination of decodable texts, other texts, and/or no texts (word reading only) for application and practice
  • Best student outcomes were when a mix of the above-named resources were used

Article discussed on Episode 99 of “The Literacy View” podcast with guest Dr. Devin Kearns

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Free, high quality decodable texts

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Interested

in more information?

Resources

Websites/Blogs

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Videos

(watch from 14:45-30:20)

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Thank you!

Michelle Ewald

K-5 Literacy Coach | C.O.O.R. ISD

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Email: ewaldm@coorisd.net

Phone: 989.275.9515 (office)