The “Scaling up Decodable Text” grant allowed each K-2 teacher to have their own set of decodable texts to use with their students. Previously, teachers were sharing one set per grade level, which was challenging because the books weren’t always easily accessible when a teacher needed them, and they required a lot of advanced planning. With each teacher having their own set, they saved time and were able to be more responsive in the moment within small group instruction, as well as better match readers with the most suitable book.
The grant provided each K-2 teacher and student with access to books that were engaging, diverse, and decodable. Students received small group instruction and time to practice reading these books that highlighted the specific phonics skill they needed. Teachers could differentiate by matching kids to the book and skill they needed to work on. In the core curriculum, while teachers explicitly taught phonics, kids also needed practice reading books with those specific phonics skills in them. Decodable books gave kids the opportunity to do just that. The Jump Rope Reader series had taken what could be a very boring type of book and created creative storylines, engaging characters, and books that kids really enjoyed.
