readworks decodables build comprehension

decoding

1. ReadWorks Decodables:
Build Comprehension While Learning to Read

Tamika Reece, Educator Support Project Manager at ReadWorks

ReadWorks nonfiction decodables offer early readers an opportunity to practice
foundational reading skills while learning more about the world around them. Learn how
to build background knowledge and vocabulary using a free, research-backed routine.

A free reading comprehension
instruction training provided by

2. About your presenter
●Tamika Reece
●Educator Support Project Manager at ReadWorks
●Former elementary school teacher (grades 1-4)
●From Brooklyn, NY

3. Icebreaker: Agree or disagree?
1

Strongly
disagree
5

Strongly
agree

4. Icebreaker: Agree or disagree?
1

Strongly
disagree
5

Strongly
agree
Background knowledge plays a key role
in a reader’s comprehension of the text.

5. Icebreaker: Agree or disagree?
1

Strongly
disagree
5

Strongly
agree
Early readers can benefit from reading
multiple texts on a single topic.

6. Icebreaker: Agree or disagree?
1

Strongly
disagree
5

Strongly
agree
Decodable texts are only meant for the
reader to apply their phonics
knowledge.

7. Today’s agenda
●About ReadWorks
●What is a decodable text?
○Research behind the decodables
○How the new decodables add to
our existing offerings
●Recommended use of ReadWorks
decodables
○Article-A-Day routine
○See the decodables in action
●Questions

8. What is ReadWorks?





●Library of 1000s of high-quality and diverse nonfiction and fiction passages
●Vocabulary supports and activities
●Text-dependent question sets
●Decodable texts aligned to Fundations (K-2)
●Curriculum alignments and connections
●New Spanish-English Paired Texts
●Book studies to use with commonly taught texts in ELA
●Differentiation features to personalize for each of your students (audio, StepReads, eBooks)
●Teacher guidance


ReadWorks is a nonprofit. We provide K-12 teachers resources for teaching reading
comprehension—online, to be shared broadly, free (always!), and focused on two goals:

●Growth in background knowledge and vocabulary
●Effective and engaged reading practice
What resources do we provide?

9. ●Frequent ReadWorks use drives positive reading
outcomes
●ReadWorks digital differentiation tools help
students confidently and successfully tackle
challenging reading
●ReadWorks’ positive impact persists across all
socioeconomic subgroups

What is ReadWorks? (cont’d)
Most importantly, everything ReadWorks provides is
backed by research:

10. Connections to the science of reading

11. Supplement any curriculum with ReadWorks

12. What is a decodable text?
●A text that is mostly decodable and based on:
○The phonics instruction students have received
○Explicit instruction around regularly and irregularly
spelled high frequency words
●Reading decodable texts supports early readers
by:
○Providing multiple "at-bats" with a specific phonics
pattern so words become orthographically mapped
○Building their confidence as they become proficient
●Typically, they are fiction

13. "We’ve all heard the adage that children first learn to read, and
then they read to learn. Yet decades of research show that this is
a false dichotomy ... From the very beginning, children can build
knowledge of the natural and social world through read-alouds ...
[and] build knowledge through texts that they are learning to read
themselves ... Teachers do not need to choose between
instruction that builds knowledge and that which teaches literacy
foundational skills. They can occur in tandem and complement
each other across a rich literacy curriculum" (The Scientific
Advisory Committee, Knowledge Matters Campaign).
Research behind our decodables product

14. How the new decodables add to ReadWorks existing offerings
Whole Phonics

15. How the new decodable texts add to ReadWorks existing offerings (cont’d)
●Nonfiction
○Students can learn facts while
practicing their phonics skills
●Paired with knowledge-building
Article-A-Day sets
○Students feel more confident
tackling the topically-aligned
decodable texts

16. How the new decodables add to ReadWorks existing offerings

17. Let’s try it out!
●Read the passage on the screen
●Write down important information you
learned in 2 sentences using this format:
○“I learned that_________. I also learned that
_________.”
●You can share in pairs then with group

18. The 10-minute
Article-A-Day routine

●Step 1: Set the purpose for reading
●Step 2: Students read or listen to an article from a
set of topically connected articles
●Step 3: Students write/draw their Book of
Knowledge entries
●Step 4: Students share knowledge, building oral
skills and shared knowledge

19. Qualitative impact
●"The predictable nature of the Article-A-Day routine really allowed my whole group to be
successful. The audio option made it accessible to everybody. For kids that might struggle in
other areas because things are not accessible, there was no barrier in Article-A-Day. They
were all able to be successful with the routine." --Jen, Teacher, CO
Quantitative impact
●Students showed a 4.7 point (15%) year-over-year gain in ELA test scores across 9 pilot
schools
●In just 10 minutes a day, 3rd-graders read an additional 49,500 words in a school year
●Student performance on a science background knowledge assessment grew by 11% after just
9 weeks of daily use
●Writing daily Book of Knowledge entries that are 20 or more words supports students’ gaining
new knowledge
Research behind Article-A-Day

20. Recommended use of decodables
●Listen - students listen to the Article-A-Day
passage
●Learn - have students ‘Turn & Talk’ and
record what they’ve learned in this passage
●Practice reading - whether in small groups
or whole group, students read the
decodable text independently after a quick
mini lesson

21. See it in action!

22. Recommended use of decodables
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
What
teachers are
doing:
Read the 1st AAD passage
to students
Read the 2nd AAD
passage to students
Read the 3rd AAD
passage to students
Read the 4th AAD
passage to students
Read the 5th AAD
passage to students
What
students are
doing:
Talk about what they’ve
learned (whole group or in
pairs)

Complete the book of
knowledge
Talk about what they’ve
learned (whole group or
in pairs)

Complete the book of
knowledge
Talk about what they’ve
learned (whole group or
in pairs)

Complete the book of
knowledge

Students read 1st
decodable

Talk about what they’ve
learned (whole group or in
pairs)

Complete the book of
knowledge

Students read 2nd
decodable

Talk about what they’ve
learned (whole group or
in pairs)

Complete the book of
knowledge

Students read 3rd
decodable

23. Spring 2024 decodables first grade pilot
●Students increased an average of 37% (median 38.5%) on their pseudo/nonsense
word fluency. This growth exceeded the students’ expected growth goals.
●Students increased in their comprehension of the decodables, as shown in
teacher observation of their responses during the small group discussions.
●Students’ confidence in their own reading abilities increased, a key contributor to
their strong post-assessment scores as observed by their teachers.
●Teachers reported an increased understanding of how to build early readers’
background knowledge while supporting their word recognition skills, as well as
the value of doing so.

24. Teacher feedback


●“The background knowledge that Article-A-Day afforded a lot of those kids
made the decodable texts that much more worth it.” - Tracey R., TX
●“I thought Article-A-Day gave a really great jumping off point to give a little
preview for what they’d be reading in the decodable text.” - Arissa M., DC
●Regarding the length of the texts, Olivia H. from MA told us, “They were
shorter than [another program]. My kids who struggled with stamina really
enjoyed these more.”

25. How do I get started?
Find everything you need on
ReadWorks.org

26. If you teach at a Title 1 school, and would like a free virtual
PD, scan this QR code to make an appointment with me:
https://calendly.com/tamika-readworks/readworks-pd-exploratory-call

27. Any questions?
?
You can always reach out with questions:
[email protected]



A free reading comprehension
instruction training provided by