How to choose a decodable text slide outlines

1. How to choose a decodable text 

Required knowledge and skills 

  • Automatic recall of letter–sound correspondences 
  • Sufficient blending ability for given word complexity 
  • Ability to decode relevant irregular words 

[Image: Screenshot of Phases 1 and 2 of the Literacy Hub’s Phonics Progression. Phase 1 is phonic knowledge and word recognition level 3, the letter–sound correspondences taught are: s, a (as in ‘apple’), t, p, i (as in ‘igloo’), n. The letter-sound skills covered in Phase 1 are Start reading and spelling VC and CVC words using continuous blending; example words for Phase 1: at, an, in, it, nip, sat, sap, tap, pin, pat. Irregular words in Phase 1 are: is, a, I, the. Phase 2 is phonic knowledge and word recognition level 3, the letter–sound correspondences taught are: m, e (as in ‘egg’), h, r, d, o (as in ‘octopus’). The letter-sound skills covered in Phase 2 are Read and spell with VC and CVC words using new and known letter–correspondences; example words for Phase 2: am, on, mat, Pam, hit, dot, red, mop, rip, met. Irregular words in Phase 2 are: my, has, to, do.] 

2. Word and code complexity continuum 

Required knowledge and skills 

[Image: This diagram shows 10 steps of increasing word and code complexity. The first step is CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant words). The example word is ‘hat’. The second step is simple words with adjacent consonants (VCC, CVCC, CCVC; 3-4 phoneme words with adjacent consonant sounds blended one after the other). The example word is ‘flop’. The third step is consonant digraphs (two consonants representing one sound). The example word is ‘chip’. The fourth step is split vowel digraphs (CVCe; a vowel and an e split by a consonant representing a long vowel sound). The example word is ‘gate’. The fifth step is complex words with adjacent consonants (e.g. CCVCC, CCCVC, CCCVCC; 5-6 phoneme words with adjacent consonant sounds blended one after the other). The example word is ‘splint’. The sixth step is vowel digraphs (two letters representing one vowel sound). The example word is ‘tail’. The seventh step is trigraphs (three letters representing one sound). The example word is ‘light’. The eighth step is morphology (a word containing multiple morphemes e.g. a base word and an affix). The example word is ‘floats’. The ninth step is r-controlled vowels (a vowel followed by an r representing one sound). The example word is ‘spark’. The tenth step is multiple syllables (a word with two or more syllables). The example word is ‘computer’.] 

3. Word and code complexity continuum 

Required knowledge and skills 

[Image: Sequence of 10 boxes showing the steps of the word and code continuum, each with one example word. From left to right the sequence is: CVC words, example word: hat; simple words with adjacent consonants (VCC, CVCC, CCVC), example word: flop; consonant digraphs, example word chip; split vowel digraphs, example word: gate; complex words with adjacent consonants, example word: splint; vowel digraphs, example word: tail; trigraphs, example word: light; morphology, example word: floats; r-controlled vowels, example word: spark; and multiple syllables, example word: computer.] 

4. What if your decodable texts don’t match your progression? 

  • Map your progression to available decodables as best you can. 
  • Consider letter–sound correspondences, word complexity and irregular words.  
  • Consider supplementing existing decodables with additional sets to fill in gaps in your sequence. 

5. How will this impact your instruction? 

For series with slight differences: 

  • rearrange the order texts are introduced in 
  • rearrange order of letter–sound correspondences in your progression. 

For a book with some new letters or irregular words: 

  • tell students the new letter–sound correspondences 
  • briefly introduce any new irregular words.