Decodable Texts in Montessori Environments

Why Use Decodable Texts in Montessori?

Decodable texts are an essential component in a structured literacy approach that aligns to the science of reading. Decodable texts provide children with authentic, intentional opportunities to practice the phonics skills that they have learned. Decodable texts also provide important opportunities for fluency and comprehension practice.

Decodable Texts vs. Leveled Readers

Decodable texts focus on building decoding skills through systematic phonics practice. They contain a high percentage of words that can be sounded out using phonics patterns that students have been explicitly taught, and they are carefully ordered to align with a specific phonics sequence, introducing new sound-letter correspondences gradually. Decodable texts also gradually and systematically introduce sight words that children cannot (yet) decode. Decodable texts are typically used after a phonics pattern has been introduced to provide children the opportunity to immediately apply their new skills. For example, if a child has just had a lesson on the long e sound spelled ee, then they would read a decodable text in which the ee pattern shows up many times, thus allowing children to practice the newly-learned phonics pattern.

Level readers, on the other hand, contain a mix of decodable and non-decodable words, and are not connected to a systematic phonics sequence. They are categorized into levels based on various factors such as sentence length and complexity, vocabulary, text structure, and the amount of picture support. Leveled readers do not provide children with explicit, systematic phonics practice; therefore, they do not align with the principles of science of reading.

How to Use Decodable Texts in Montessori

1) Select a high-quality decodable text series: Decodable texts should be the foundation of phonics instruction. Therefore, the first step is to select a high-quality decodable text series. See below for suggestions on selecting decodable texts.

2) Align phonics instruction with the decodable texts: Now that you have selected a high-quality decodable text series, you can align your phonics instruction to follow the same sequence as the decodable books. For example, if the first decodable text introduces the letters s, m, and a, then these would be the first sandpaper letters that you introduce. Once children have mastered the sounds with the sandpaper letters, they would read the decodable text to practice reading these sounds in context.

In alignment with Montessori philosophy, children can progress through decodable series and phonics instruction at their own pace. However, it is important to work with your team to determine when a child may need extra support. For example, if a child does not know all of their letter sounds by the middle of kindergarten, we may need to change how we are providing instruction for that child.

3) Practice fluency & comprehension: Children should read decodable texts multiple times to build their fluency. They can also practice comprehension skills using decodable texts. This can be oral comprehension questions or retelling for younger children, and move into written comprehension questions for older children.

This is not to say that children should only read decodable texts. They should also have opportunities to read and explore self-selected books. Decodable texts play an essential role in phonics instruction, but they should not be the entirety of children's experiences with reading.

Selecting Decodable Texts

When selecting a decodable text series, look for the following characteristics:

• The series has a clear and systematic approach to introducing phonics patterns and sight words. If a series does not have a systematic phonics scope and sequence, the texts are most likely leveled readers, not decodables.

• All major phonics patterns are included in the decodable text series (find a chart of all the major phonics patterns here).

• The texts are 100% decodable based the phonics skills and sight words outlined in the scope and sequence documents.

• The series contains enough texts to provide sufficient practice with each of the phonics patterns. Children need repeated opportunities to practice a particular phonics skill in order to master it. A high-quality decodable reading series will most likely have 100-200+ texts, which are typically introduced over a 3-4 year period (usually 4-year-old year or kindergarten through 2nd grade).

• The texts are interesting and inviting to children.

• The texts reflect the diversity of society. Consider whether texts include people of various races, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and abilities. Do the texts represent different locations such as rural, urban, etc.? Texts should provide children with both windows and mirrors, meaning that all children should be able to see themselves reflected in text, while also exposing them to people who may be different from them.

• Ideally, the decodable series contains reading comprehension activities for children to complete independently.

Decodable Reading Series to Explore

Montessori Collective is not endorsing any of the following series, we are simply providing a list of possibilities. We invite you to explore these options and determine what will meet your school's needs.

• Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) - CKLA is a comprehensive literacy curriculum, which can be accessed for free on the Core Knowledge website, or an updated version can be purchased from Amplify. As of the writing of this blog, Amplify's decodable texts are available to download for FREE on their website. There are 200+ texts included, which are organized as chapters in 18 books. At the end of each book, you will find a list of the phonics skills and sight words (tricky words) that are introduced in each chapter. The comprehension activities are not included with the downloadable texts, but can be found on the Core Knowledge website. Learn more about implementing CKLA in Montessori environments here.

• Flyleaf Publishing (scope and sequence document) - This series of 109 texts is popular in many Montessori schools because of is systematic approach to phonics that closely aligns to Montessori instruction.

• Monarch Readers (scope and sequence document) - This series of 54 texts was written by Montessori teachers, and many of the stories take place in Montessori classrooms and include diverse characters.

• Montessori Makers Group (coming soon!) - This series of 96 books has not been published yet, but is coming soon. It is also written by Montessori teachers, and many of the stories take place in Montessori classrooms.

• Heggerty (scope and sequence documents: kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade) - This series of 83 texts is divided by grade level, and the decodable texts can be purchased alone or as part of Heggerty's Bridge to Reading curriculum.

• Project Read - This AI-based tool can generate decodable texts that align to the scope and sequence of several phonics programs, including UFLI, IMSE Orton-Gillingham, and CKLA.

Need Support?

Does your school need a thought partner in developing a systematic approach to literacy? Schedule a meeting with Montessori Collective to see how we can help.