Overview
This lecture covers the fourth step in an explicit phonics lesson: using decodable text to reinforce phonics skills and ensure reading success.
Steps in an Explicit Phonics Lesson
- Start with a phonemic awareness warm-up.
- Teach explicit sound-to-spelling (phoneme-grapheme) connections.
- Practice blending sounds into words.
- Use decodable text to apply learned skills in context.
Purpose and Use of Decodable Text
- Decodable text should align with your phonics scope and sequence.
- It allows students to apply known sound-spelling relationships in connected text.
- Proper decodables prevent the need for guessing words by only including taught sound-spellings and selected high-frequency (sight) words.
- Each decodable should specify required skills and high-frequency words for teachers’ reference.
Characteristics of Quality Decodable Text
- Texts are only 100% decodable if all words use previously taught sound-spellings or high-frequency words.
- Example: Flyleaf Publishing organizes required skills in the back of each book.
- Immediate application of phonics skills increases student success and reading confidence.
Example Classroom Routine with Decodable Text
- Review high-frequency words before reading.
- Introduce chapters and guide students to point to and read words.
- Have students whisper-read pages individually, pointing to each word.
- Reread for fluency and comprehension, then discuss content-related questions.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Phonemic Awareness — recognizing and manipulating individual sounds in spoken words.
- Phoneme-Grapheme Association — connecting spoken sounds to their written letters.
- Blending — combining individual sounds to form words.
- Decodable Text — a reader containing only words that match taught sound-spellings and selected high-frequency words.
- High Frequency Words — common words students recognize by sight, often not phonetically regular.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Select decodable texts that match your current phonics sequence.
- Prepare sound-spellings and high-frequency words for each reading session.
- Continue explicit phonics instruction in future lessons.