Avoid These 4 Mistakes When Teaching Kids with Decodable Readers
Overview of this Blog:
Decodable readers are powerful tools for helping children develop their reading skills, but their effectiveness can be diminished by common teaching mistakes.
As educators and parents, understanding these pitfalls can make the difference between a successful reading journey and unnecessary struggles. Let's explore four critical mistakes to avoid when using decodable readers with young learners.
Table of Contents
1. Rushing Through Books Without Building Fluency
2. Skipping Explicit Phonics Instruction
3. Relying Too Much on Context Clues
4. Forgetting About Comprehension
5. Final Thoughts
1. Rushing Through Books Without Building Fluency
One of the most common mistakes when using decodable readers is rushing through books too quickly. It’s tempting to move forward fast when a child shows initial success, but this can lead to a lack of confidence and hinder their development. It’s crucial to build fluency and automaticity with each text before advancing.
What to do instead:
- Read the same book multiple times. Allow children to revisit texts until they feel confident and fluent. Repetition helps build familiarity with words and strengthens decoding skills.
- Celebrate slow, accurate reading over rushing through a book with mistakes. This reinforces the importance of accuracy over speed.
- Look for signs of genuine confidence. Only move on to more difficult books when the child shows clear understanding and fluency with the current one.
For more tips on building fluency, check out our blog post on When Should Children Start Using Decodable Books?.
2. Skipping Explicit Phonics Instruction
Decodable readers are most effective when paired with explicit phonics instruction. Some educators and parents mistakenly use these books without teaching the underlying phonics patterns first. This approach can leave children feeling overwhelmed and unsure when they encounter unfamiliar words.
What to do instead:
- Teach the phonics patterns explicitly before introducing them in decodable texts. For example, make sure children understand the sound-letter relationships they’ll encounter.
- Review phonics regularly. Consistent practice helps reinforce the connections between sounds and letters.
- Practice isolated sound blending before trying to decode whole words. For example, blend "c," "a," and "t" to form "cat" before reading the word in context.
Want more on effective phonics instruction? Read our guide on Science of Reading Made Simple: Guide for Parents & Teachers.
3. Relying Too Much on Context Clues
Context clues can be useful, but when using decodable readers, overemphasising them can undermine the primary goal: teaching children how to decode words using phonics skills. Relying too heavily on context clues prevents children from becoming confident decoders.
What to do instead:
- Encourage children to sound out words using phonics before turning to context clues. Teach them to break words down into sounds and blend them together.
- Use context clues as a secondary tool for confirmation, not as the first line of defense. Once the child has sounded out a word, then check the surrounding text for clues.
- Save picture clues for after decoding. Use the pictures to discuss the meaning of the story or help with comprehension once the child has decoded the words.
4. Forgetting About Comprehension
It's easy to get caught up in the mechanics of decoding and forget that comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. Teaching kids to decode words is important, but if they don’t understand what they’ve read, the process can feel pointless.
What to do instead:
- Ask comprehension questions after the child has successfully decoded the text. Ask things like, "What happened in the story?" or "How do you think the character felt?"
- Discuss the meaning of the story and connect it to the child's own experiences. This not only aids comprehension but also makes reading more meaningful and engaging.
- Encourage children to retell the story in their own words. This reinforces understanding and allows you to gauge their grasp of the material.
- Balance decoding with comprehension discussions. While it's important to work on phonics and decoding skills, make sure to consistently check for understanding.
For more on teaching comprehension, you might find our blog on The Missing Link Between Decoding and Comprehension helpful.
Final Thoughts
Decodable readers are invaluable tools for building strong reading foundations, but their effectiveness depends largely on how we use them. By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing the suggested strategies, we can help our young readers develop both the skills and confidence they need to become successful, independent readers.
Remember that each child progresses at their own pace. Stay patient, consistent, and responsive to your students' needs while maintaining high expectations for their success. Every child can become a strong reader with the right support!
— Happy Reading
Additional Resources
For more insights into developing confident readers, explore our related articles: