Decodable Books and Phonics Lessons

Why Use Decodable Books and Phonics Lessons

Students who learn phonics master the sound/symbol code that enables them to read and spell. Each phonics lesson is built on research-based strategies for introducing, teaching, and practicing a sound (phoneme) and its related symbol or symbols (grapheme or graphemes).

Lessons include activities using manipulatives, such as letter cards, phonogram cards, workmats, decodable and high-frequency word cards, games, and worksheets that support instruction and practice with skills such as:

• Phonemic awareness
• Sound/symbol relationships
• Writing and spelling
• Blending and segmenting
• Decoding
• Word families
• High-frequency words

Designed to support the Orton-Gillingham method of reading instruction, the Decodable Passages Packs emphasize systematic, sequential, multisensory, synthetic, and phonics-based instruction. The short passages with decodable words and various activities pair with supplementary, multisensory lessons, to provide multiple pathways for students to understand the sound/symbol relationships as well as the “how” and “why” behind reading.

How To Use Decodable Books

Teaching effective phonics means using systematic instruction and practice. Each new lesson and book introduces a new phonics element while supporting previously taught phonics elements and high-frequency words, or sight words.

Each of the 68 lessons spells out activities for each instructional session. The lessons are organized according to the following sequence:

• Consonant, Short Vowels, and Word Families – 35 lessons
• Blends – 6 lessons
• Long Vowels - VCe Pattern – 4 lessons
• Consonant Digraphs – 6 lessons
• Open Vowels – 1 lesson
• Vowel Digraphs – 5 lessons
• Other Vowel Patterns – 1 lesson
• Variant Vowels – 4 lessons
• Diphthongs – 2 lessons
• R-controlled Vowels – 4 lessons

Instruction of sound/symbol relationships is most effective when combined with plenty of practice and application through the reading and writing of words. In addition to Decodable Books and Phonics Lessons activities, Leveled Books from levels aa–P also contain a phonics component in their guided reading lessons. Search by skill type or look on each book’s home page to find the phonics element supported by that book.

Use Alphabet Books, Sound/Symbol Books, Decodable Books, and Read-Aloud Books in combination to make vital connections between letters and sounds to support key early reading skills.

Start with the Program Overview for detailed information on how to use the Decodable Passage Packs as well as additional, multisensory classroom activities.