How to use decodable readers
Kindergarten to Grade 2
A decodable reader is a short story written so that a child can sound out almost every word using only the phonics they have already been taught, plus a tiny set of high-frequency 'heart words' (the, I, was) that are learned by sight. Because the text does not run ahead of the lessons, the child succeeds by decoding rather than guessing from pictures or context. Decodable readers are the bridge between practising sounds in isolation and reading real books, and they should track the phonics scheme stage by stage: CVC words first, then digraphs, then blends.
How to teach it
- Match the reader to the child's current phonics stage. Every passage on this site names the exact graphemes it targets, so a child only meets sounds they have been taught.
- Let the child do the sounding out. Point under each word and have them blend the sounds themselves, rather than reading it to them or letting them guess from a picture.
- Pre-teach only the heart words. Before reading, show the two or three tricky words (the, was, said) that cannot be sounded out yet, so the child recognises them on sight.
- Read it more than once. A first read is for decoding; a second and third read, over a few days, builds the smoothness and confidence that carry into fluency.
- Talk about the story afterwards. The comprehension questions check that decoding did not crowd out meaning, which is the whole point of learning to read.
- Move up a stage only when the current one is easy. If the child is still labouring over blends, stay on the digraph readers a little longer.
Common mistakes
- Using books that are too far ahead of the phonics taught, so the child is forced to guess whole words from the pictures.
- Reading the hard words for the child instead of prompting them to blend the sounds.
- Treating one read as enough. Repeated reading of the same short passage is what builds fluency.
- Skipping the heart words, then being surprised when the child stalls on 'the' or 'was'.
- Chasing speed. Accurate, confident decoding matters far more than pace at this stage.
Frequently asked questions
What is a decodable reader?
A decodable reader is a short story written so a child can sound out almost every word using only the phonics already taught, plus a tiny set of high-frequency heart words like 'the' and 'was'. Because the text does not run ahead of the lessons, the child succeeds by decoding rather than guessing.
How are decodable readers different from levelled books?
Decodable readers only use sounds the child has been taught, so every word can be sounded out. Levelled or predictable books use repeated sentence patterns and picture cues, which invites guessing from context. Decodables build genuine decoding, while predictable books can hide gaps by letting a child guess whole words.
What age are decodable readers for?
Decodable readers are mainly used in Kindergarten through Grade 2, while children are learning phonics. They track the phonics scheme stage by stage, starting with simple consonant-vowel-consonant words, then digraphs, then blends, and are set aside once a child can decode fluently and read ordinary books.
Why should I use decodable readers?
They let a child practise real reading on a text they can actually decode, so success comes from sounding words out rather than guessing from pictures. This builds accurate, confident decoding, which is the reliable foundation for fluency and for reading unfamiliar books later.
How do I choose the right decodable reader?
Match the reader to the child's current phonics stage, so it only contains sounds they have been taught. Good decodables name the exact graphemes they target. Move up a stage only when the current one is easy: if the child still labours over blends, stay on the digraph readers a little longer.
How many times should a child read a decodable book?
Read it more than once. The first read is for decoding, and a second and third read over a few days builds the smoothness and confidence that carry into fluency. Treating one read as enough is a common mistake, because repeated reading of the same short passage is what builds fluency.
What are heart words?
Heart words are the two or three high-frequency words in a decodable text that cannot yet be sounded out, such as 'the', 'was' and 'said'. Pre-teach them before reading so the child recognises them on sight. Skipping them is why a child stalls on 'the' partway through a passage.
Practise with free worksheets
Printable worksheets with answer keys that are never wrong.