# Decodable Readers: A Guide for Australian Teachers

> What decodable readers are, how to match them to your phonics scope and sequence, free and paid options, and decodable texts for Foundation to Year 2.

## What Are Decodable Readers?

A decodable reader is a short book or text written so that almost every word uses letter-sound patterns students have already been taught. A child who knows *s, a, t, p, i, n* can read "Tip sat. Pat sat in a tin." without guessing, because every word can be sounded out and blended.

That is the whole point. Decodable readers let beginning readers practise their phonics in connected text, so the decoding they learn in phonics lessons turns into real reading.

**The short version:**

- **What they are:** books, passages and sentences built from taught sounds plus a few taught tricky words
- **How decodable is decodable:** the NSW Department of Education says a decodable text should be [at least 80% decodable](https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/teaching-and-learning-resources/literacy/effective-reading-in-the-early-years-of-school/decodable-texts), with the rest made up of taught high-frequency words and the odd content word
- **Who they are for:** Foundation to Year 2, and older students who are still learning the code
- **How you choose them:** by the sounds your class has been taught, not by a reading level

You will also see them called **decodable texts**, **decodable books** or **phonics readers**. A decodable passage or a set of decodable sentences works on the same principle; it is simply shorter than a book. In NSW and the ACT the first year of school is Kindergarten (Early Stage 1 in the NSW syllabus), in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania it is Prep, in WA Pre-primary, in SA Reception and in the NT Transition. This guide uses the Australian Curriculum name, Foundation.

**Free tool:** a student arrives with a level in another system? The [reading level converter](/tools/reading-level-converter) turns a PM, Fountas and Pinnell, Reading Recovery, Lexile or DRA level into the others.

## Popular Decodable Readers and Mini Books

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## How Decodable Readers Map to a Phonics Scope and Sequence

Every systematic synthetic phonics program teaches sounds in a set order, called its scope and sequence. Decodable readers are written to follow an order like that, one stage or set at a time. Each new book uses all the sounds from earlier books plus one or two new ones, so the texts get richer as your students learn more of the code.

Here is one common order, the kind many Australian programs and teacher-made sets follow. Your program's order will differ in the detail; what matters is that the readers you use match it.

| Phonics focus | What the text looks like | Usually taught |
|---|---|---|
| First sounds, often *s a t p i n* | Two to four word sentences, CVC words like *pin*, *tap*, *sat* | Early Foundation |
| Remaining single letters, *ck*, double letters (*ff ll ss zz*) | Short stories with CVC words, a few taught tricky words (*the*, *I*, *was*) | Foundation |
| Digraphs *sh ch th ng wh*, and *qu* | Longer sentences, words like *shop*, *chin*, *thick* | Late Foundation to Year 1 |
| Blends: CCVC and CVCC words | Words like *frog*, *stamp*, *crisp*; real plots begin | Late Foundation to Year 1 |
| Long vowels: split digraphs (*a-e*, *i-e*) and vowel teams (*ai ee oa*) | Paragraphs, simple non-fiction | Year 1 to Year 2 |
| R-controlled vowels (*ar or er ir ur*), then alternative spellings (*ay ow ew igh*) | Chapter-style stories and information texts | Year 2 |

### What "levels" mean for decodable readers

Teachers often search for decodable readers by level. Decodable series are numbered by **stage, level or set**, and each number means "these sounds", not a reading age. The [NSW Department of Education](https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/teaching-and-learning-resources/literacy/effective-reading-in-the-early-years-of-school/decodable-texts) points out that publisher levels for decodable texts are unrelated to other levelling systems. A Stage 3 decodable book is not a PM level 3, and the numbers do not convert.

So when a series says Level 4, check which sounds that level uses and compare it with your own sequence. [SPELD NSW's free Decodable Book Selectors](https://www.speldnsw.org.au/literacy/decodable-book-selectors/) do this for several popular series and phonics sequences (you need a free account). For how levelled readers compare with each other, see our [reading levels chart](/teacher-guides/reading-levels-chart).

## Decodable Reader Sets by Phonics Level

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## How to Choose the Right Decodable Readers for Foundation to Year 2

Start with one question: **which sounds does this student know?** Choose a text that practises the sounds they need, then check it against this list.

- **It matches your sequence.** The text should use only sounds you have taught, plus high-frequency words your students have learned. A book full of *ee* words is no help to a child who has only met *s a t p i n*.
- **The target sound turns up a lot, in different words.** A good text uses the new sound in many words and in different positions, not the same word five times.
- **It is clearly printed.** Good spacing, a clear font and full punctuation, so students practise reading to a full stop.
- **It uses Australian English.** Readers made for US schools use American spelling (*mom* for *mum*) and words that do not sound the same in an Australian accent. Australian-made texts avoid both problems; UK texts avoid the spelling one.
- **It suits your state's font.** For Foundation, a text in the handwriting font your students are learning (NSW Foundation, QLD Beginners, VIC Modern Cursive and so on) is easier to read than an unfamiliar typeface.
- **The pictures support but do not give the words away.** Students should be reading the words, not reading the picture.
- **It is worth reading.** Early texts can feel contrived; that is the trade-off for being readable. Look for ones with a small story, a joke or a fact that gives students a reason to finish.

### Foundation (Kindergarten, Prep)

Foundation decodable readers start with CVC words and two to five word sentences. Many classes begin with decodable sentences and short passages before whole books, because a sentence can be read and reread in a few minutes. The Australian Curriculum (v9) names this directly: in Foundation, students read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic knowledge.

### Year 1

Year 1 students work through digraphs, blends and the first long vowel spellings. Texts become real stories with a beginning, middle and end. This is also the year of the [Year 1 Phonics Check](/teacher-guides/year-1-phonics-check) in several states, and decodable reading is where students practise what the check assesses.

### Year 2

Year 2 decodable readers cover vowel teams, r-controlled vowels and alternative spellings, and many include non-fiction. By the end of Year 2 most students have enough of the code to read a wide range of texts, and decodable readers become a tool for the students who still need them.

## Decodable Word Cards and Phonics Sets for Foundation

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## Free and Paid Decodable Readers

You do not need to buy a full series to get started, but most schools end up with a mix of free texts, a core series and teacher-made extras.

| Option | Cost | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free online readers | Free | Trying a series, home reading, filling a gap | Many are US or UK; check spelling and sequence |
| Published decodable series | A class set is a real budget item | A complete, consistent sequence across Foundation to Year 2 | Matching the series order to your program |
| Teacher-made decodable texts | Usually a few dollars each | Passages, sentences and mini books for one sound; targeted catch-up | Quality varies, so preview before you buy |

### Free decodable readers

[SPELD NSW keeps a list of free decodable readers](https://www.speldnsw.org.au/parents-hub/decodable-readers-at-home/) that is worth bookmarking. It includes free phonic readers from SPELD SA, Sounds-Write's First Step decodable readers as free e-books, printable decodable texts from UFLI Foundations (a US program, so check spelling), and free decodable e-books on Oxford Owl.

On TeachBuySell you can also [browse free decodable resources](/s?keywords=decodable&price=0%2C0). Teachers often share one free level or sampler from a larger set, which is a good way to see whether the rest suits your class.

### Paid decodable readers

Published series give you a complete sequence of books, which is the main reason schools buy them. In 2021 the NSW Government [announced decodable readers for every Kindergarten class in NSW public schools](https://www.speldnsw.org.au/nsw-decodable-readers/), from Little Learners Love Literacy and Decodable Readers Australia. Schools elsewhere use those and other series.

Teacher-made decodable resources fill the gaps a series leaves: extra passages for the sound your class is stuck on, decodable sentences for a warm-up, comprehension questions to go with a text, or a set of take-home readers you can print. These are what TeachBuySell sellers make, and the carousels on this page show them.

## Decodable Passages and Readers for Years 1 and 2

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## Using Decodable Readers in Class and at Home

### A simple routine in class

Decodable reading works best straight after a phonics lesson, using the sound you have just taught.

1. **Warm up** with the new sound and a few words that use it
2. **Preview** any tricky words in the text
3. **Read together:** you model a line, students read it back
4. **Read alone or in pairs** while you listen and prompt with "sound it out" rather than "look at the picture"
5. **Reread** the next day for fluency, then talk about what happened in the text

For daily phonics routines and games to go with this, see our [phonics activities guide](/teacher-guides/phonics-activities). Students who are not yet ready to blend may need more [phonological awareness practice](/teacher-guides/phonological-awareness-activities) alongside their phonics.

### Decodable take-home readers

Decodable texts make good take-home readers because a child can read them to a parent with real success. Send home a book the child has already read in class, so home reading is practice rather than a test. A short note for families helps: ask them to say "sound it out" instead of "guess" or "look at the picture", and to praise the effort of blending.

### Decodable readers for older students

Some students in Year 3 and beyond still have gaps in the code. They need decodable texts too, but a book about a cat on a mat can feel babyish. Look for texts with older characters and topics, chapter-style layouts and non-fiction. Some series are written for exactly this, such as the Moon Dogs catch-up readers from UK publisher Phonic Books, and SPELD NSW's free reader list includes options for older students. Pair them with explicit teaching of the specific sounds the student is missing.

### When to move on

The NSW Department of Education describes decodable readers as a short-term strategy. Once the sounds in a text are within a student's control, they should move on to a wide variety of texts. That happens at different times for different children; there is no set year. Keep reading rich picture books and novels aloud the whole way through, because that is where vocabulary and comprehension grow. Our [science of reading guide](/teacher-guides/science-of-reading) explains how the pieces fit together, and the [sight words list](/teacher-guides/sight-words-list) covers the high-frequency words that sit alongside your decodable texts. The free [sight words tool](/tools/sight-words?group=1-100&kind=heart) picks out the heart words in the first 100 and marks the letters in each that do not decode, so you can preview them before a text.

## Vowel Teams and Advanced Code for Year 2 and Beyond

_(Dynamic listing feed — browse at the page URL for live results.)_

## Frequently Asked Questions About Decodable Readers

### What are decodable readers?

Decodable readers are books and texts written so that nearly every word uses letter-sound patterns students have already been taught, plus a small number of taught high-frequency words. They let beginning readers practise phonics in connected text instead of guessing. The NSW Department of Education says a decodable text should be at least 80% decodable.

### How are decodable readers different from levelled readers?

Levelled readers, such as PM readers, are graded by overall difficulty and include words a child has not been taught to decode, so beginners often guess from pictures or context. Decodable readers are graded by phonics pattern, so the child can sound out what is on the page. Most classes use decodable texts for early reading practice and levelled or authentic texts once students know more of the code.

### Do decodable reader levels match PM levels?

No. Decodable series number their books by stage, level or set, and each number stands for a group of sounds. The NSW Department of Education notes that these publisher levels are unrelated to other levelling systems, so a decodable Level 3 is not a PM level 3. Match decodable readers to the sounds your students know instead.

### When should students stop using decodable readers?

When the sounds in the texts are within their control. Many students get there during Year 2, some earlier and some later. The NSW Department of Education calls decodable readers a short-term strategy, after which students move on to a wide variety of texts. Base the change on what each student can decode, not on their year level.

### Are there decodable readers for older students?

Yes. Students in Year 3 and above who still have gaps in their phonics need decodable texts with older characters, topics and layouts so the books do not feel babyish. SPELD NSW lists some free options, and you can search TeachBuySell for decodable passages pitched at older readers.

### Can I use decodable readers as take-home readers?

Yes, and they work well for it. Send home a text the child has already read in class so home reading builds confidence. Ask families to prompt with sound it out rather than guess, and to let the child reread the same book a few times.

### Where can I find free decodable readers?

SPELD NSW keeps a list of free decodable readers, including SPELD SA phonic readers, Sounds-Write First Step e-books and Oxford Owl e-books. Many TeachBuySell sellers also share free samplers. [Browse free decodable resources here](/s?keywords=decodable&price=0%2C0) or use the price filter on the search page.

### Do decodable readers align with the Australian Curriculum?

Yes. In Australian Curriculum v9 English, Foundation students read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic knowledge (AC9EFLY04). Decodable texts give students the practice in connected text that this asks for, and later year levels keep building phonic knowledge for reading and spelling.

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