Books for decodable readers are a learning tool for children who are beginning to read. These books are made up of short texts and very attractive illustrations; they can be found in digital and printed versions.
Decodable books help children develop phonetic skills and become better able to read increasingly complex texts. Thanks to the phonetic code that these books present, students can read words even when they do not know their meaning.
What are the characteristics of books for decodable readers?
Books for decodable readers meet the following characteristics:
- They include short and simple texts, the stories that are captured are very basic and highlight words with similar sounds.
- They have bright images with many colors, cartoons, and landscapes.
- Besides, they are available for purchase in hardcover, paperback, or digital print versions.
- The words used in these books are simple so that the child can easily understand the meaning of what he reads.
- They are didactic, some can be used specifically to learn consonants, others to learn vowels, etc.
- These decodable editions integrate images for the child to color. For this reason, they are considered very creative books.
- These books have progressive difficulty, that is, children start from simple lessons, and the degree of difficulty increases.
These are the main characteristics of this type of book. In recent years, the use of decodable books has increased; since pedagogically they are an excellent tool in the reading initiation stage in children.
Why are these books effective?
Decodable reader books are very effective for learning as they stimulate children’s memory. In addition, it is easier for them to learn through a repetitive reading system because it allows them to predict words while they read.
These books contain attractive pictures and are so much fun that children find the motivation to read while looking at the pictures. Another factor that makes decodable editions effective in learning is that they increase the child’s security and self-confidence. This is because the little one feels constant satisfaction when noticing rapid progress in reading.
What are the skills that an infant must have to read decodable books?
This teaching method is ideal for infants between the ages of 3 and 5, during which time they begin their journey of learning to read. The skills that children must possess to read this model of books are:
- Phonological awareness
This ability consists of the ability of children to relate sounds to letters. It also includes the ability to blend letter sounds when reading words in full.
- Working memory
A good memory is essential when learning with these books. Thanks to this they can remember how a word begins while decoding the rest of the same word. That is, reading will be more fluid and learning more effective.
These are the main skills that a child must have to start in the world of reading through decodable books. In addition to this, it is essential that the child is motivated, in this way it will be easier for him to be disciplined in his learning process.
5 Best Books for Decodable Readers
On Amazon you can get these wonderful decodable editions, these are available in paperback. If you are interested in acquiring one of them, we mention them below:
1. Orton Gillingham for Decodable Readers: Let’s Practice Long and Short Vowels. Volume 1. Full-Color Edition
It is the first volume of a series of full-color books aimed at practicing long and short vowels. This first full-color edition has 105 pages that focus on learning the vowel “a” in syllables and words.
To study this book, it is not necessary to start reading from the beginning since it does not have a literary focus. The focus of this book is a phonics-based curriculum for learning to read. It includes short texts, with basic words so that the child can identify them without difficulty.
In addition to the texts to read, the book offers other types of educational activities such as:
- Crossword puzzles and word searches.
- To write sentences with words given in the book.
- To identify the names of images.
This edition of Orton Gillingham is the best choice of books for decodable readers who will have a book of this style for the first time.
2. Orton Gillingham for Decodable Readers: Let’s Practice Long and Short Vowels. Volume 3. Full-Color Edition
It is the third book in the color edition of the Orton Gillingham decodable books. This focuses on teaching the vowel “i” through fun and child-friendly reading. It has 120 pages that, in addition to texts, contain various activities for children to practice reading and writing.
3. Orton Gillingham for Decodable Readers: Let’s Practice Long and Short Vowels. Volume 1. Black and white edition
This book is the second in a series of black-and-white decodable readers’ books. It focuses on teaching the reading of the vowel “e” individually or together with other vowels. The black and white edition gives children the opportunity to color each page and make the learning process more fun.
This book has 144 pages, from 1 to 72 corresponding to texts to learn to read. From 73 to 77 creative and fun activities to practice what you have learned and from 78 to 114 teaching resources.
4. Orton Gillingham for Decodable Readers: Let’s Practice Long and Short Vowels. Volume 2. Black and white edition
Este libro es muy similar al volumen 3 de la versión a color, se enfoca en la enseñanza de la vocal “i”. Sin embargo esta edición es en blanco y negro, cuenta con 120 páginas de las cuales 5 son de actividades didácticas para los pequeños.
5. Orton Gillingham for Decodable Readers: Let’s Practice Long and Short Vowels. Volume 4. Black and white edition
This book focuses on teaching the vowel “o”. It has a content of 120 pages, from pages 1 to 67 are texts to learn how to pronounce the “o” when it is accompanied by other vowels. From 68 to 75 it has a content of activities to write, read, and color. From 76 to 120 there are educational resources for teaching decodable reading.
Orton Gillingham Decodable Readers Books are in English and are the best in this category. This is because they are very complete, each volume develops the teaching of a vowel broadly. The exercises that each book offers are very entertaining and attractive for children, for this reason, they are motivated in their studies.
What are the benefits of these books?
Decodable books offer many benefits for both children and the teachers or parents who teach through them. Below we will mention the most outstanding benefits of these books:
- They are an excellent investment; are very cheap and quite complete in educational content.
- They can be obtained in a physical version or a digital version. There are various themes to choose from.
- The learning through these books is fast, and the teaching is much more effective since they are elaborated as a study plan.
- Books that do not follow a storyline, allow children to start from the page they like best. This is very positive for them, since many children, having to learn linearly, get bored and easily demotivated.
- Orton Gillingham’s decodable books for readers, after each text pose questions that allow children to develop their analytical skills.
- They are entertaining books that motivate children to learn while having fun and create significant learning in them.
- They promote reading in children. Reading is considered a habit for many and the best time to include it in a person’s life is from their earliest years.
- These books focus not only on reading but also on writing and comprehension.
- Children learn to read more fluently and stimulate their memory.
- Children who practice at home daily with these books are more likely to do better in school.
Decodable books can be found in English and Spanish. For years these have been part of the childhood of many people and pedagogically they are considered an excellent resource. They are implemented in hundreds of countries around the world at the main educational levels to encourage reading.
Where can I get decodable books?
Books for decodable readers can be purchased through the official Amazon platform. You can also visit some bookstores and check for them, in recent years the popularity of these books has increased. For this reason, they can be obtained more easily.
These books are cheap, on Amazon you can get each book of the Orton Gillingham edition for around $10. They have excellent reviews from the user community and ratings of more than 4 stars.
How to encourage reading in children?
Reading is an enriching activity in many aspects, it allows us to analyze, concentrate and recreate ourselves. The influence of reading on children is very beneficial both in their educational and personal growth. When a child reads, he develops his creativity and imagination, he discovers and knows new aspects of life, and he feels more confident in himself and his abilities.
The earlier the age at which reading is encouraged in children, the better it will be for them. While it is true that some children feel more willing to learn to read, others find it a little more difficult to be interested. However, there are some effective recommendations to encourage reading in children.
Decodable books for readers are the main resource to start them in the world of reading. It is important to know the interests of the child, in this way you can select a book with an attractive theme that increases their interest in reading. Reading can be approached in a fun way as a game so they get to know the books faster and don’t feel pressured.
It is important to accompany them during this stage; feeling the support of the parents generates confidence in themselves. By accompanying them we can also help them understand some unknown words and guide them in the process. Creating a comfortable space at home for reading is an excellent recommendation, so the child will feel in a calm environment and will concentrate much more.
The best resource for learning to read
Decodable books are an excellent educational tool to be used both at home and in schools. It is important to mention that these books, even though they are mostly used by children, are also useful for adults who do not know how to read. The goal of these books is to provide the most effective learning strategies for learning to read.
In the case of having the Orton Gillingham books, it is essential that in addition to reading the texts, new readers also focus on doing the activities. Teachers and parents can take advantage of the resources; in these editions at the end of each book to create additional creative activities.
Now that you know everything about books for decodable readers, you can implement it in teaching and you will notice a significant advance in the student. For children with dyslexia, this resource represents a great advantage for their learning. Learning to read is considered more difficult than learning to speak, so it requires a lot of discipline and attention.