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The Decodable Debate: What No One’s Telling You-(128)

🎙️ The Literacy View

📺 Watch Now: https://youtu.be/abe1gkQVYHc?si=q20JfUk6WRYDjh3z

Article Discussed:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/lit.12368

🚨 Real Talk: Decodables Are Everywhere—But Are We Using Them Right?

Districts are buying them. Teachers are assigning them. Publishers are hyping them. But beneath the buzz, the real question is: Are decodables making a difference—or are we just following a script?

In this episode,  we go beyond the phonics fanfare to ask the hard questions:

• Are we over-relying on decodables at the expense of comprehension?
• What makes a decodable text actually effective?
• Are we seeing real gains—or just following mandates?
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🔥 Inside This Episode:

• What the research actually says about decodables
• Common misuse in classrooms—and how to course-correct
• The myth of “just give them decodables and they’ll learn to read”
• How to balance decoding with real engagement and language development
• Classroom-tested advice for making decodables work with your instruction not instead of it

👀 Why It Matters:

Too many classrooms are being told decodables are the magic bullet. But without planning, intention, and skilled instruction, they can turn into robotic routines with little payoff. This episode unpacks the nuance—and gives educators permission to ask for more.

💬 Quote Worth Repeating:

“A decodable text isn’t a lesson plan. It’s a tool—and only as good as the hands that use it.”

👩‍🏫 For Educators Who Are:

• Feeling pressure to use decodables but unsure how
• Balancing district mandates with what students actually need
• Ready to cut through the noise and focus on what work.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

📚 DK Phonic Books (Phonic Books Ltd)

https://www.phonicbooks.com/

👩‍🏫 Sue Marasciulo – Decodable Graphic Novels

https://www.suemarasciulo.com/

🌵 Tumbleweed Publishing – Decodable Texts for Upper Elementary

https://tumbleweedpublishing.com/

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