Decoding Fluency; How and When to Introduce Trade Books

By: Lynn Brown, M.Ed, CERI certified Structured Literacy Teacher, Owner Willamette Valley Dyslexia Center

How do we transform struggling readers into confident decoders? In this article, we will explore the crucial role of decoding fluency within the Science of Reading and discuss best practices for introducing trade books to students.

Understanding Decoding Fluency

Decoding fluency is one of the two major goals in reading instruction, alongside language comprehension. It involves mastering the Alphabetic Principle—understanding that letters represent sounds—thereby enabling effective word decoding. Achieving fluency requires learning approximately 40 English spelling rules and 31 grammar rules that govern word formation.

At our tutoring center, our scope and sequence of spelling rules encompasses over 100 lessons. With dedicated instruction, students can attain decoding fluency within about three years, making it a subconscious skill much like breathing. Fluent readers continue to decode even when they are not consciously aware of it.

Systematic Instruction in Decoding

In a structured approach to reading, students begin with the most predictable skills, gradually progressing through increasingly complex spelling patterns. This journey starts with short vowels and consonant blends and moves to variable vowel teams and irregular patterns like "tion" and "sion."

Decodable passages are crucial for reinforcing these skills. In a pure Orton-Gillingham approach, students learn one skill at a time and read only texts that incorporate previously taught concepts. This method ensures that when students encounter decodable passages, they can read them with minimal errors, having already mastered all relevant skills.

However, many students come to us with varying levels of exposure to spelling skills, often lacking explicit instruction. During initial screenings, we identify their strengths and areas for growth, tailoring our instruction to fill in any gaps before they progress through our lesson sequence. This foundational work is essential for building their decoding fluency.

Transitioning to Trade Books

It is essential to delay teaching writing in paragraphs or using non-decodable chapter books until a student has mastered vowel teams or reached at least a second-grade reading level. Attempting to engage students with advanced texts too early can lead to frustration.

If a student expresses a strong desire to read a chapter book, it’s vital for tutors and teachers to be familiar with the text and pre-teach necessary skills and sight words. Curating a selection of trade books that match their reading abilities will increase their chances of success. While it’s important to encourage choice reading, preparation is key to maximizing instructional time.

Strategies for Successful Transition

As students gain confidence and begin to seek out their own reading materials, consider the following strategies:

1.     Interest Over Ability: Leverage students’ interests during sessions, but ensure that the reading material is appropriately challenging. Encourage them to explore topics of interest outside of lesson time.

2.     Utilize Audiobooks: Always encourage the use of audiobooks, regardless of a student's reading level. This allows students to access core curriculum content and engage with advanced material without feeling limited by their decoding skills.

3.     Pre-selected Choices: Have a few familiar books ready that align with the skills and sight words your student is currently learning. This preparation helps guide their transition from decodable texts to more complex chapter books.

4.     Engage with Interactive Reading Strategies: Foster active reading through questioning, predicting, and supported reading. Consider methods like shared reading, where the teacher reads a paragraph followed by the student, allowing them to highlight challenging words. Create a reading journal to make the experience engaging, incorporating drawings and writing prompts.

Conclusion

By systematically building decoding skills and thoughtfully transitioning to trade books, we empower our students to become confident, fluent readers. Let’s support their journey with engaging materials and effective strategies, ensuring that they thrive in their reading endeavors.