Decodables, or simple books that build students’ phonic knowledge in a sequential and systematic way, are becoming more popular as a growing number of schools have embraced the “science of reading” in teaching children fundamental literacy skills.

Because of their inherent language constraints, many of the decodables being published today lack what children would consider an engaging and coherent storyline. But this is an area where New Jersey-based publisher ReadBright excels.

“Our decodables are short, narrative stories that are highly interesting and beautifully illustrated,” says Product Specialist Dina Sobel. “This is our strong point.”

Founded by nationally recognized reading specialist Sara Gross, M.S. Ed. more than a decade ago, ReadBright produces high-quality early reading books and literacy aids.

ReadBright Decodable Readers include four sets of thoughtfully constructed stories that cumulatively develop the reading skills of children from kindergarten through second grade.

By encouraging students to sound out words using decoding strategies rather than guessing from the pictures or predicting from other cues, the books help children practice and master key literacy skills as they learn how to read independently.

“We’ve looked at many decodable series,” says Lindsay McLaughlin, a first-grade literacy coach at Spruce Street Elementary School in Lakewood, New Jersey, “and ReadBright is the best we’ve seen.”

Creating ‘Accurate and Fluent Readers’

ReadBright Decodable Readers follow a systematic scope and sequence that is grounded in the science of reading. Each book is strategically formulated and scaffolded, containing only words and skills that students have already been taught.

Level 1, which includes 19 stories, helps students learn short vowels, digraphs, and blends. For instance, book four in the set, Up! Up! Up!, focuses on short “u” as the targeted phonics skill, and the story has children follow a toddler named Gus as he learns how to run. But earlier phonics skills, such as the short “a” sound, are also reinforced (“Run to Dad,” “Gus is sad”).

Level 2, which includes 13 books, focuses on long vowel sounds, silent “e,” and vowel teams. Level 3 features nine stories that highlight vowel-“r” combinations and diphthongs. And Level 4, with 16 books, focuses on multisyllabic words, prefixes, and suffixes.

Each level is sold as a complete set. What’s more, the sub-skills within each level are color-coded for easy reference.

Quick comprehension questions at the end of each story ensure that students understand what they’re read, and each book also includes drills to reinforce both the featured phonics skill and the previously taught high-frequency words to solidify students’ learning.

“We’re creating accurate and fluent readers,” Sobel says.

Instilling a Love of Reading

McLaughlin says the ReadBright books are “highly decodable, which is something we look for.” She also appreciates the fact that each phonics skill is color-coded, which makes it very simple to use the books to reinforce key reading concepts.

“Our teachers know that blue is consonant-vowel-consonant,” she explains, “so if they have a child who needs to learn c-v-c skills, the teacher can tell them to pick up a blue book during independent reading time. It’s easy for both the teachers and the students.”

Lakewood schools have been using ReadBright decodables for a few years now. “Often, when you get a new program in a district, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, what are we going to do,’” McLaughlin says. But that wasn’t the case with the ReadBright texts. “Because of the color-coding, the leveling, and all the materials that come with the series, it really was so simple to open the box, hand out the materials—and from that minute the teachers could essentially start teaching,” she notes.

(Listen to Mclaughlin discuss her district’s use of ReadBright Decodable Readers here.)

Lakewood has a significant population of English-language learners, and teachers and students have experienced great success with the ReadBright decodables.

“Students need multiple exposure to decodable texts that are simple to read,” McLaughlin says. “The ReadBright stories are engaging, the graphics are great, and our students love them. They find success with these texts, because they’re easy to read.” This gives young readers confidence in their newfound abilities and encourages them to revisit the texts multiple times, she notes—which instills a love of reading.

ReadBright Decodable Readers can be purchased as part of a complete reading program that includes scripted teacher guides, student workbooks, and training, says Director Abe Gross. They can also be purchased independently and integrated with any other structured reading program or used as a standalone resource to promote reading fluency and comprehension.

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