Dyslexia Support South: Where hope meets learning
Donate Follow us on Twitter Find us on Facebook
  • About us
  • Stay informed
  • Contact us
  • Parent Toolkit
    • Types of learning differences
    • Interventions available in Southland
    • Support in the Otago Region
    • Emotional impact
    • Assessment options in Southland and Otago
    • School information
    • Resources
    • Personal stories
  • School Toolkit
    • Catering for different types of learners
    • Creating a dyslexia-friendly classroom
    • Specific learning difficulties and processing disorders
    • Supporting SENCOs
    • Parent information evenings for your school community
    • Accommodations in the classroom
    • Decodable books
    • Information for teachers: Neil MacKay
    • Supporting home learning
    • Executive functioning in the classroom
    • NZQA National Qualifications for Specific Learning Differences
    • Dyslexia Friendly Guidelines for Effective Communication and Advertising.
  • Growing Stars®
    • What Growing Stars covers
    • Our Facilitators
    • Upcoming Workshops
    • Growing Stars resources for sale
    • Community support
    • Support available from other agencies
  • News & Events

Decodable books

What are decodable books?

Decodable text offers beginning and/or struggling readers a chance to practice the phonics skills they have already been taught using connected text.

Decodable books focus on

  • spelling patterns that the reader can decode* given his or her existing knowledge of letter and sound correspondences.
  • usually follow a specific sequence of skills and instructional procedures that cumulatively develop with each book.

Quality decodable books

  • will not only use simple short vowel words,
  • will reflect growth into advanced phonics knowledge and use of vowel digraphs* and multisyllabic words*.
  • will introduce one or two new concepts at a time while offering lots of practice opportunities with simpler patterns.

Decodable text is only decodable if children have been taught that particular letter pattern. Decodable text would not (or should not) be handed to a child without the child having first been taught the letter and sound correspondences.

When searching for books for your beginning reader, be aware that the term decodable books is often used incorrectly, particularly when it refers to texts in which only about half the words are decodable. Being able to decode only half the words in a book is very frustrating for most students, and does not support good reading habits. Truly decodable books—are 100% decodable so the student is able to read every word.

The use of decodable books is only necessary for a short period in the foundation stage. When well taught, most children learn the code quickly, begin to self-teach and can then move on to real books rather than being stuck for several years on reading schemes with the restricted word count necessary to ensure adequate memorisation of the high frequency words.

Why Are Decodable Books So Important for Beginning Readers?

When a child is expected to read books that are not decodable, they often become frustrated and start guessing at words, thereby developing poor reading strategies. In the process, the child loses the direct connection between the phonics and word analysis skills they are learning and the actual text they are expected to read.

On the other hand, when a child reads a fully decodable book, they can use their knowledge of phonics and their word analysis skills to decode unfamiliar words. Because the child can figure out every word in the book, they feel successful, which in turn helps them build fluency and develop good reading strategies.

*What some of these words mean

Phonics is a method of teaching people to read by matching sounds with letters of the alphabet.

To decode means to break down a word and figure out how to pronounce it.

A digraph is two letters that spell one sound. Vowel digraphs that spell vowel sounds include the letter pairs ai, ay, ee, ea, ie, ei, oo, ou, ow, oe, oo, ue, ey, ay, oy, oi, au, aw.

Multisyllabic words have more than one syllable, or vowel sound.

Examples include

  • napkin: nap / kin
  • silent: si / lent
  • model: mod / el
  • dolphin: dol / phin
  • partner: part / ner

Where to get decodable books

For the home:

Check with the school to see what they have.

Free ebooks to download

Young Reflections have books can that be bought individually or as a pack. They are books from Lion Crest.

School:

Rapid phonics series

Dandelion Launcher series

Decodable Readers Library Series

In this section

  • Types of learning differences
    • Dyslexia
    • Dyscalculia
    • Dysgraphia
    • Dyspraxia
    • Visual stress
    • Auditory Processing Disorder
    • Slower processing abilities
      • Slower processing at school and in the home
      • Slower processing and social relationships
  • Interventions available in Southland
  • Support in the Otago Region
  • Emotional impact
    • How parents can support their dyslexic child.
    • Anxiety
    • Low self esteem
    • Growth Mindset
    • Support agencies
    • Should I label my child dyslexic?
    • How can I help my child?
    • Strengths of Dyslexia
    • Increasing dyslexia awareness
    • Wellbeing support programmes
  • Assessment options in Southland and Otago
    • Dyslexia
    • Auditory Processing Disorder
    • Irlen Syndrome
  • School information
    • Choosing and transitioning to a new school
    • Study tips
    • Special Assessment Conditions
      • Special Assessment Conditions for NCEA
      • Assessment tools in Primary Schools
    • Funding and scholarships
    • Assistive technology
    • Who do I speak to at school?
    • Talking with your child’s school
    • Home learning tips
  • Resources
    • Download our printable flyers
    • “The Big Picture” DVD Hire
      • Our printable flyers
    • Books to read
      • Books for pre-teens and teens.
      • Books for parents
      • Books for children
      • Graphic Novels
    • The Value of Games
    • Tips for around the home
    • Decodable books
    • Assistive Technology
    • Ministry of Education dyslexia resource
    • Mind mapping
    • Working with dyslexic strengths
    • Be a ‘Strengths Detective’ - Learn how you can shine a light on your child’s dyslexic strengths to build self-awareness and resilience.
    • Executive Functioning
    • Dyslexia Friendly Invercargill City Library
  • Personal stories
    • Speech on Dyslexia by Milo Henry
    • A Mum’s Perspective
    • Diet and Nutrition for Learning & Behaviour - Our Experience

Dyslexia Support South and Growing Stars are programmes run by Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is designed to assist parents, caregivers and educators by providing helpful information on the topics represented. It does not replace information provided by a qualified professional. Parents, caregivers and educators are encouraged to do their own research on programmes mentioned. Dyslexia Support South does not endorse or support any particular product or business.

© Dyslexia Support South 2023

Website by RS

  • Home
  • Parent Toolkit
    • Types of learning differences
      • Dyslexia
      • Dyscalculia
      • Dysgraphia
      • Dyspraxia
      • Visual stress
      • Auditory Processing Disorder
      • Slower processing abilities
        • Slower processing at school and in the home
        • Slower processing and social relationships
    • Interventions available in Southland
    • Support in the Otago Region
    • Emotional impact
      • How parents can support their dyslexic child.
      • Anxiety
      • Low self esteem
      • Growth Mindset
      • Support agencies
      • Should I label my child dyslexic?
      • How can I help my child?
      • Strengths of Dyslexia
      • Increasing dyslexia awareness
      • Wellbeing support programmes
    • Assessment options in Southland and Otago
      • Dyslexia
      • Auditory Processing Disorder
      • Irlen Syndrome
    • School information
      • Choosing and transitioning to a new school
      • Study tips
      • Special Assessment Conditions
        • Special Assessment Conditions for NCEA
        • Assessment tools in Primary Schools
      • Funding and scholarships
      • Assistive technology
      • Who do I speak to at school?
      • Talking with your child’s school
      • Home learning tips
    • Resources
      • Download our printable flyers
      • “The Big Picture” DVD Hire
        • Our printable flyers
      • Books to read
        • Books for pre-teens and teens.
        • Books for parents
        • Books for children
        • Graphic Novels
      • The Value of Games
      • Tips for around the home
      • Decodable books
      • Assistive Technology
      • Ministry of Education dyslexia resource
      • Mind mapping
      • Working with dyslexic strengths
      • Be a ‘Strengths Detective’ - Learn how you can shine a light on your child’s dyslexic strengths to build self-awareness and resilience.
      • Executive Functioning
      • Dyslexia Friendly Invercargill City Library
    • Personal stories
      • Speech on Dyslexia by Milo Henry
      • A Mum’s Perspective
      • Diet and Nutrition for Learning & Behaviour - Our Experience
  • School Toolkit
    • Catering for different types of learners
    • Creating a dyslexia-friendly classroom
      • Tips for the classroom
      • Dyslexia-friendly text and documents
      • Dyslexia-friendly teaching methods
        • 4D for schools
        • Universal Design for Learning
    • Specific learning difficulties and processing disorders
      • Dyslexia
      • Dyscalculia
      • Dysgraphia
      • Dyspraxia
      • Irlen Syndrome
      • Auditory Processing Disorder
        • Classroom accommodations for Auditory Processing Disorder
      • Slower processing abilities
    • Supporting SENCOs
    • Parent information evenings for your school community
    • Accommodations in the classroom
    • Decodable books
    • Information for teachers: Neil MacKay
    • Supporting home learning
    • Executive functioning in the classroom
    • NZQA National Qualifications for Specific Learning Differences
    • Dyslexia Friendly Guidelines for Effective Communication and Advertising.
  • Growing Stars®
    • What Growing Stars covers
    • Our Facilitators
    • Upcoming Workshops
    • Growing Stars resources for sale
    • Community support
    • Support available from other agencies
  • News & Events
  • About us
    • Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust
    • Dyslexia Support South
    • Important policies
    • Funding Partners
  • Stay informed
  • Contact us