What’s the difference between leveled readers and decodable readers? I’m so glad you asked!
The main purpose of this video series has been to explore and explain some of the differences and possibly similarities concerning terms and concepts used in the field of literacy. Today, I’m covering the topics of leveled readers and decodable readers specifically for our beginning or struggling readers.
I also want to touch on a couple of questions about each kind of reader towards the end of the video/post.
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What are Leveled Readers?
-Leveled readers were made popular by Fountas and Pinnell through guided reading groups within the balanced literacy framework.
Fountas and Pinnell categorized early readers and trade books on a continuum, from easier books being at Level A all the way to Level Z. They had many variables to help them know where a book fell on that text continuum or text gradient. Some of them include the genre of the book, the text structure, the content, and the sentence complexity found in the book among other variables.
-Leveled readers, especially those in the beginning levels on the text gradient, have predictable sentence patterns, which we’ll see with an example in minute.
-With leveled readers, a good percentage of the words cannot be decoded or sounded out, which limits orthographic mapping from the start.
-Because many of the words cannot be sounded out, context clues (like looking at the picture or thinking about what would make sense in the sentence) are needed to “read” the words. I put that word in quotes, because as we’ll discuss, our learners aren’t really focused on reading the actual words.
This would be an example of leveled reader. This book might be entitled, “At the Zoo.” Two sample pages may read, “This is a giraffe. It has spots. This is a zebra. It has stripes.”
In this text, we have predictable sentence starters. “This is a…. and “It has….”
The predictability of the sentences can be problematic because it encourages and enables learners to just memorize the book, not actually read the words. Our learners may sound like fluent readers, but are they really focused on the actual words? I would say, No.
But there’s another problem. And this problem is the one that made me realized the harm in using leveled readers. What happens when you give a child with limited phonics knowledge this reader? Let’s say they are just learning about closed syllable words.
We want them to apply their new knowledge to reading in context, right? But the text has several words that don’t fit that pattern. How is our reader going to figure out GIRAFFE, SPOTS, ZEBRA, and STRIPES?
By looking at the pictures or thinking about the word pattern in the book. While SPOTS is a closed syllable, it certainly isn’t one we’d use if a child was just learning closed syllables. And there’s absolutely no way a beginning reader would be able to look at the underlined words and figure them out without heavily relying on context.
What are Decodable Readers?
Decodable readers are also best used in small groups based on learner’s needs although they can be used in a whole group setting.
Instead of having predictable sentences or word patterns, decodable readers focus more on using predictable sound-spelling patterns. This means that a good percentage of the words CAN be decoded or sounded out, allowing readers to engage with orthographic mapping from the start.
And because of this, context clues are not needed to read the words.
Let’s also call this decodable reader, “At the Zoo.” Two sample pages may read, “I have lots of spots and can run fast! Can I run fast? I have spots, too.”
While this book does have some predictability, with both pages containing the phrase, “I have…”, predictability with decodable readers has more to do with the sound-spelling patterns included in the texts.
For example, on these two pages, it is clear the focus is closed syllable words with the short vowel sound. On these two pages alone, we have several words with this pattern including LOTS, SPOTS, AND, CAN, RUN, and FAST. This gives our readers plenty of practice with the phonics pattern and keeps their eyes on the words. Pictures are not needed to read the words.
To drive this point home, if I initially removed all the pictures from both “At the Zoo,” books, which book would my beginning reader be able to actually read? The answer is obviously the decodable reader!
The text in this blog post is from my video.
Watch the full video on my YouTube channel.
Leveled Readers and Decodable Readers: Any Similarities?
While we tend to pit leveled readers against decodable readers, they do share some similarities.
1. Both beginning leveled readers and decodable serve the same purpose. They are training wheels. Beginning leveled readers and decodable books are to be used temporarily, not forever. The goal of both is to get kids reading and into trade books.
The thought with leveled readers is once you get to a certain alphabet level, such as Level J or K, you’re ready for trade books.
With decodable texts, as our learners grow in their phonics knowledge, the need to use decodable readers will decrease. As to how much phonics knowledge they need to have, there is no magic formula, but I do have some signs you can look for in my blog post, Using Decodable Texts.
2. Neither kind of beginning reader is designed to build strong comprehension strategies. Comprehension skills and strategies are best modeled through interactive read alouds of quality texts.
3. Both kinds of texts can use controlled language, which can sound stifled. While this is the main complaint of decodable readers, it can certainly happen with leveled readers, too.
4. Teachers using either kind of texts recognize the one size doesn’t fit all. Readers have different needs and are not all on the same developmental level.
Two Common Questions about Leveled Readers and Decodable Readers
1. What do I do with all my leveled readers?
With the push to use more decodable texts, especially for beginning or struggling readers, what exactly do you do with all your leveled readers? The school in which I taught had an entire room dedicated to a leveled book library. What happens with all of those?
I do believe there are some things we can use leveled books for with beginning or struggling readers.
Book or print awareness skills
Vocabulary – For example, the leveled “At the Zoo” book could be used to flip through with young learners or English Language Learners {ELL} to talk about animals you find at the zoo
Oral language and retellings based on the storyline or as learners “read” the pictures
Phrasing and Expression – Certain leveled readers may lend themselves to practicing phrasing and expression, both a part of fluency. For example, learners could echo read or work on scooping phrases in the sentences.
Phonics application – Believe it or not, not all leveled readers are “bad.” Some will have text that our learners can actually decode.
2. Are there quality decodable readers?
One big complaint I had early on related to decodable readers is that the language seems too stifled or manipulated. And I think that was most definitely the case with some of the earlier decodable readers. But thank goodness, decodable readers have come a long way over the years.
There are many different places to grab quality decodable readers.
All about Reading is an OG-based curriculum with decodable readers.
PhonicBooks has a great variety of decodable readers.
The Measured Mom has already created some for fiction and nonfiction.
BOB Books have been a favorite of many homeschoolers and teachers over the years. My oldest son wasn’t a fan, but my younger children read them. {I have FREE BOB Books printables to accompany them as well!}
Enjoy teaching!
~Becky
More Posts in this Series…
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What’s the difference between leveled readers and decodable readers? I’m so glad you asked! 🙂 The main purpose of this video series has been to explore and explain some of the differences and possibly similarities concerning terms and concepts used in the field of literacy. Today, I’m covering the topics of leveled readers and decodable … Read More about Leveled Readers and Decodable Readers
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