If you’re just beginning the adventure of teaching your child to read, you may have heard the term ‘decodable readers’ tossed around—but what exactly are they? Imagine handing your child a story and watching their eyes light up as they realize: “Hey… I can actually read this!” That’s the magic of decodable readers and mastering early reading skills. In simple terms, the reader will have the ability to translate letters into sounds and blend those sounds into words. But how do we do this, you may ask?

Decodable readers are like training wheels for reading. They give kids the chance to practice their new skills in a safe, supportive way. I have introduced you before to my fantastic reading curriculum, How Wee Read. Well, today, I want to jump right to Part 4 of How Wee Read, called Decodable Readers. In this part, we dive into some powerful little stories. Each one is designed using the Science of Reading, which is backed by research and real results.

Free Printable Rhyming Cards

Before we take a closer look at decodable readers in How Wee Read, I have Free Printable Rhyming Cards with a Guided Sample of How Wee Read for you! Just enter your email address below to be instantly sent these beautiful free cards and a sample. 

Unlock Early Reading Skills with Decodable Readers

We start small and simple. Think CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words like “cat,” “bat,” or “sad.” Your child already mastered these in Parts 2 and 3 of How Wee Read, so now they can see them come alive in actual stories.

These are carefully written little stories that match exactly what your child has already learned about letters, sounds, and simple word patterns. Instead of random or tricky words, decodable readers only use the sounds and rules your child already knows—so success is built right in.

From there, we slowly add in one new rule or sound at a time—just one!—so it never feels overwhelming. Once your child has got that rule down pat, it’s on to the next story.

The best part? These cute little stories don’t just help your child grow their early reading skills. They also help you grow as their reading guide and teacher. As you progress, you will continue getting tips and tricks to help support your child’s early reading skills.

Let me give you some examples of these handy tips:

Each story includes a Word List with words that match the letter combination or rule for that particular story. These are great for you to practice spelling words! Ensure your child can read these words before progressing on to the next story.

Some stories include a few “Additional Words” that help the story make sense, but might be tricky or not yet taught. Just take a minute to go over these words with your child before reading. Start by reading the story aloud, then have your child circle words from the Word List and underline the Additional Words. Then let them give it a try! As they get more confident, you’ll need to do this step less and less.

Story by story, you will see the word complexity and length increase as your child goes from reading: “A bat and a rat sat.” to “A week later, he won the first place trophy for his photo!”—you’ll see your child’s confidence bloom.

One of the biggest parts of learning to read is making sure kids understand what they’re reading. A fun and easy way to help with this is simply chatting with your child after a story. Try asking a question or two—nothing fancy, just a casual, “Where was the pig in the story?” They might say, “In the mud!” or “In the pen!” From there, you can keep the conversation going—talk about where other farm animals live, or even ask if they’d want to dig in the mud too. These little chats might seem small, but they’re a powerful way to build your child’s reading comprehension and language skills.

You will progress through the coursebook, tackling all the tricky parts of the English language until your child confidently reads the final story. And this, my friend, means they have mastered it! Your child CAN read! 

So there you have it—Part 4 of How Wee Read. Master Early Reading Skills with Decodable Readers!

And one final tip! The single most important part of learning to read is hearing stories read aloud. Whether you’re snuggled under a blanket or reading between snack times, just keep reading! Let it be silly, let it be soothing, let it be fun. This is how we connect and learn. This is How Wee Read.

Let’s do this together! With How Wee Read, we take the stress and mystery out of teaching our children to read. We can raise a generation of strong, confident readers. Visit my shop to view a sample and purchase your own copy today!

How Wee Read:
From Rhyming to Reading in 70 Simple Lessons

https://shop.howweelearn.com/products/how-wee-read

Thank you so much for being here, sweet reader!

xo Sarah