What Are Decodable Texts?

Decodable text is a type of text used in beginning reading instruction. They are carefully sequenced to progressively incorporate words that are consistent with the letters and corresponding phonemes that have been taught to a new reader. For example, if students have recently learned the -ip and -ill spelling patterns, they would come across words such as hill, slip and spill in their decodable text. (A perfect set-up for the text Jack and Jill Went Up the Hill!) Our Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers utilize decodable texts as a scaffolded support for students. And like all scaffolds, including those used in construction, eventually the scaffold must be removed so that the building (or child) can stand on their own. Students who benefit from decodable texts eventually must transition to less controlled texts as their decoding and fluency continue to improve.