Is There a Way to Help Striving Middle School Readers Build Skills Without Sacrificing Interest?
Absolutely!
A great deal of middle school teachers have shared with us: “Many of my students are struggling with foundational literacy skills. I haven’t been trained to teach reading and I don’t know where to start.”
Our most recent blog post provided a guide of dos and don’ts of working with striving teen readers, but today we’re going to dive into one aspect of foundational reading that we believe can have the biggest impact: decodable books.
Imagine Ruby, a 7th grade student who is reading at a first grade level. She’s missed out on some foundational reading instruction, and is frustrated with the book options she’s been presented with. Currently, her choices are The Giver, which is written at a level that she cannot yet read, or Pete the Cat, which is written at her reading level but contains illustrations, characters, and storylines for young elementary students. With no options to meet her literacy needs, Ruby is even more turned off by reading and continues to struggle in school.
The answer: decodable books.
Decodable books are a powerful tool for building foundational reading skills. They break down words into their basic sounds (phonemes) and use consistent spelling patterns, making it easier for students to decode unfamiliar words. They follow a scope and sequence that gradually introduce more complex phonics skills. This is particularly helpful for struggling readers who haven't yet grasped these core concepts, and/or need more practice with their decoding skills in order to build fluency.
For example, Ruby is working on decoding words that contain vowel teams. If Ruby’s teacher gives her a traditional book, she may or may not find words that contain the phonics rule she is practicing. She will find many words that she has not yet learned how to decode, which can lead to frustration. However, if Ruby’s teacher gives her a decodable book that contains a “vowel teams” phonics focus, Ruby can solidify the skills she’s been practicing, decode like a pro, and feel successful (and maybe even excited) about her literacy journey.
However, traditional decodable books often fall short for older striving readers (typically middle school and above) because of their limitations in:
- Content: They can be repetitive and childish, featuring topics and characters that hold little interest for teenagers. Imagine a 13-year-old reading a book about a cat named "Mittens" in order to practice decoding words with short vowel sounds.
- Format: Many decodable books are short, picture-heavy, and lack the chapter structure or length found in books teenagers typically encounter in school and for leisure. This can be discouraging for students who crave a more substantial reading experience.
- Visual Appeal: The illustrations in traditional decodable books might be simplistic or cartoonish, failing to capture the attention of older readers who are visually sophisticated.
- Scope and sequence: Traditional decodable books often use terminology geared towards younger readers, such as “bossy r” or “magic E”. These terms, while helpful for a 6-year-old, are infantilizing and embarrassing for teenagers.
These limitations can create a disconnect for struggling middle school readers. They need the skill-building benefits of decodable books, but they're also yearning for engaging content that reflects their interests and reading maturity.
Storyshares offers a different approach. Storyshares provides decodable chapter books designed to bridge the gap between skill development and genuine interest. Our books address the shortcomings of traditional decodable texts by offering:
- Age-appropriate themes and characters: Storyshares decodable books explore topics relevant to middle schoolers, such as friendship, sports, or mystery, with relatable characters they can connect with.
- Chapter structure and length: Our books offer a more substantial reading experience with chapter breaks and a length that feels satisfying for older readers. Storyshares books are designed to pass a “backpack test”: they look and feel like any other popular YA novel.
- High-quality visuals: We use age-appropriate and visually appealing images that capture the imagination of teenagers.
- Scope and sequence: Our decodable chapter books follow a Science of Reading-aligned scope and sequence, and are written with the Institute for Education Sciences “Educator’s Practice Guide for Providing Reading Interventions in Grades 4-9” in mind.
Want to learn more about reaching middle school striving readers using decodable books? Email info@storyshares.org for a free PDF copy of one of our middle school decodables, or check out the full series here.