Choosing Texts for Readers

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Why it works

Research in early reading supports matching texts to instructional purpose: beginning readers practicing decoding benefit from decodable texts (controlled to the phonics they have learned) rather than predictable or leveled texts that encourage guessing from pictures or patterns. As decoding becomes secure, readers move to richer, more varied, and appropriately challenging authentic texts. Choosing the right text, for the reader's stage and the purpose, supports both skill development and comprehension.

The research: Research on decodable texts and early reading; text selection.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: match texts to readers and purpose

Teachers leave matching text type to their readers' stages and purposes.

Identify your readers' stages (beginning decoders vs developing readers).
For beginning decoders, choose decodable texts aligned to the phonics taught.
For developing readers, choose rich, appropriately challenging authentic texts.
Match the text to the purpose (decoding practice vs comprehension and knowledge).

Match the text to the reader and purposeDecodable texts for beginning decoders; rich, appropriately challenging texts as decoding secures. Choose the text for the reader's stage and your purpose.

Facilitator notes

Use decodable texts for beginning decoders.
Move to rich authentic texts as decoding secures, and match text to purpose.
Avoid guessing-inducing predictable texts for decoders.

The wrong text can build the wrong habitsPredictable texts for beginning decoders can encourage guessing over decoding. Match decodable texts to early phonics, and rich texts to developing readers.

Adapt it

Elementary: decodable for decoders, then authentic texts.
Secondary: appropriately challenging texts, decodable for intervention.
All settings: match text to stage and purpose.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Choosing Texts: match reader and purpose

The right text for the stage: decodable for beginning decoders, rich and challenging as decoding secures.

The reading stages of my students:
The decodable texts aligned to phonics taught (for decoders):
The rich, appropriately challenging texts (for developing readers):
How I match text to purpose:
A text mismatch to fix:

Make it stick

Match reader and purpose:

Match texts to readers.
Use decodable for decoders.
Bring a text-selection improvement to the next PLC.

Common questions

What's a decodable text?

A text controlled to contain mostly the phonics patterns a student has been taught, so beginning readers practice decoding rather than guessing from pictures or memorizing patterns. They are for the early decoding stage.

Aren't leveled or predictable texts fine for beginners?

Predictable texts can encourage guessing from pictures and patterns rather than decoding, which can build habits that hinder later reading. For beginning decoders, decodable texts are generally a better match.

When do readers move to authentic texts?

As decoding becomes accurate and more automatic, readers move to richer, varied, appropriately challenging authentic texts. Match the text to the reader's stage and the purpose.