The Complete Guide to Decodable Books in Australia
Decodable books have become a hot topic in Australian education. With the shift towards the Science of Reading and systematic phonics instruction, schools are realising that the books students practice with matter just as much as the instruction itself.
But what exactly are decodable books? How do they differ from "leveled readers"? And where can you find good ones?
This guide answers all your questions.
What Are Decodable Books?
A decodable book is a text where:
- The words are made up of only the letter-sound correspondences the student has been taught
- The student can read every word by decoding (sounding out), not guessing
- There may be a few "tricky words" (high-frequency words that don't follow patterns yet taught), but these are pre-taught
Example
If a student has learned: s, a, t, p, i, n
A decodable text might read:
"Pat sat. Pat taps Pip. Pip naps."
Every word can be decoded using known sounds.
Decodable vs. Leveled Readers
This distinction is crucial.
| Feature | Decodable Books | Leveled Readers | |---------|-----------------|-----------------| | Word selection | Based on taught sounds | Based on "reading level" | | Expectation | Student decodes every word | Student uses multiple cues (pictures, context) | | Aligned to phonics scope | Yes | No | | Builds decoding skills | Yes | Not reliably |
Leveled readers often contain complex words that beginning readers cannot decode. Students are implicitly encouraged to guess—which undermines the decoding skills phonics instruction is trying to build.
Why Decodables Matter
1. They Reinforce Phonics Teaching
If classroom instruction teaches blending, but reading practice rewards guessing, students get mixed messages.
2. They Build Confidence
When students can successfully read every word, they feel competent. This positive experience builds motivation.
3. They Create Automatic Decoding
Repeated successful decoding builds the neural pathways for automatic word recognition.
4. They Prevent Bad Habits
Students who learn to guess often struggle later when texts become more complex and there are fewer picture cues.
Finding Decodable Books in Australia
Commercial Publishers
Several publishers offer decodable book series aligned with popular phonics programs:
- Little Learners Love Literacy — Aligned with their phonics program
- Dandelion Readers — Aligned with Letters and Sounds
- PM Decodables — From Cengage
- Phonic Books — UK-based but available in Australia
- Sounds-Write Readers — Aligned with Sounds-Write program
Free Resources
Some quality free options exist:
- SPELD SA Phonic Books — Free PDFs
- Phonics Hero readers — With subscription
- Teach Your Monster to Read — Digital app with some decodable content
The Limitation of Pre-Made Books
Here's the challenge: pre-made decodable books are fixed.
- They follow one specific scope and sequence
- You can't customise the content
- Buying a full class set is expensive
- Variety is limited (students get bored reading the same stories)
Enter: Generated Decodables
This is where technology changes the game.
PhonicsMaker uses AI to generate decodable texts on demand:
✅ Any scope and sequence — Select exactly which GPCs are "known" ✅ Unlimited variety — New story every time ✅ Personalised content — Use student names and interests ✅ Instant creation — Under 60 seconds ✅ Print or digital — Flexible formats
Instead of buying ten different book sets to get enough variety, you can generate exactly what you need, when you need it.
How to Use Decodables Effectively
1. Match to Instruction
The book should only contain sounds that have been explicitly taught. Check carefully!
2. Pre-Teach Tricky Words
Before reading, explicitly teach any high-frequency words that can't yet be decoded.
3. Point and Sound
Have students point under each grapheme as they say the sounds. This reinforces the left-to-right decoding process.
4. Re-Read for Fluency
After sounding out, re-read the sentence or page more fluently. Repeat reading builds automaticity.
5. Don't Rush Movement
Stay at each level until reading is confident and accurate. Moving too fast creates gaps.
For Parents: Using Decodables at Home
If your child's school is using systematic phonics, support this at home:
- Ask the teacher what sounds have been taught
- Choose books that match — Or use PhonicsMaker to create custom ones
- Let your child decode — Don't jump in too quickly; give them time to sound out
- Avoid confusion — Don't use "look at the picture" as a strategy
- Keep it positive — Short, successful reading sessions are better than long, frustrating ones
The Path Forward
Decodable books aren't a magic solution—they're one essential component of effective reading instruction. Combined with systematic phonics teaching, phonemic awareness work, and vocabulary development, they help create confident, capable readers.
Whether you buy commercial sets, use free resources, or generate custom texts with PhonicsMaker, the key is ensuring that what students read matches what they've been taught.