WHY WE SHOULD FOSTER THE LOVE OF READING NONFICTION BOOKS All too often, our classroom libraries offer a wonderful selection of fiction but only a limited amount of non-fiction. Why should we ensure that children have access to a wonderful range of nonfiction books? 1. NONFICTION BOOKS ARE FUN Firstly, because so many non-fiction…
Read Morebeginning readers
The love of reading nonfiction books
The Love of Reading
How important is it to cultivate the love of reading in children? Decodable books are an essential part of a structured literacy approach, but they have a specific purpose. They are decodable exercises which students can use to practice the phonics skills they have learned. They are not designed to compete with the huge variety…
Read MoreIlliteracy linked to worse mental health
During mental health week, we think it is important to highlight the link between mental health and illiteracy. Illiteracy causes poor life outcomes, poverty leading to crime, depression and poor health. The Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies of the University of East Anglia (UEA) have just reported on the global problem of poor…
Read MoreWhat are decodable books?
What are decodable books? Although the rise of the Science of Reading movement has meant that systematic phonics teaching programs are gaining popularity in the US, one of the most frequently asked questions is still, “What are decodable books?” Phonic Books co-founder, Tami Reis-Frankfort, provides a brief clarification of the meaning of the term, ‘decodable…
Read MoreTeaching the Reading Rope
Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97-110). New York: Guilford Press. Teaching the Reading Rope The Reading Rope was developed by Dr. Hollis Scarborough to provide a framework for understanding the different…
Read MoreStructured Linguistic Literacy
Supporting structured linguistic literacy at home with games and decodable reading books – by Clair Wilson This article was originally published in the January 2023 issue of Dystinct Magazine. Click here for free access to this issue until December 2024. Reading is one of the most important skills we want our children to learn. We…
Read MorePhonic Acronyms
Reading Specialist, Savannah Campbell from Campbell Creates Readers, provides a helpful reference guide to phonic acronyms. There are A LOT of acronyms in education. IEP, IDEA, NCLB, NRP. I could go on and on and on. If you are a teacher or parent, it can feel overwhelming! Today, I want to walk you through some…
Read MoreHoliday rereading
Over the holidays, we all need to take a break and enjoy time with family and friends. However, amongst the ribbons, reindeer and rejoicing, there may also be space for a little retrospection, reflection, reading… and even rereading. Reading specialist, Miriam Fein, explores the benefits of giving new consideration to an already well thumbed book.…
Read MoreBuilding blocks of literacy
We all want our children to find learning to read exciting and enjoyable, but what happens when they get stuck? Should we be quick to help, or wait and let them figure it out themselves? With the help of a set of building blocks, literacy specialist, Savannah Campbell, explains how we can encourage productive struggling.…
Read MorePhonic Books stand out from your average decodable
At Phonic Books, we know the importance of continuous and lifelong learning. We’re always delighted to hear from our customers, and feedback on our decodable books is especially welcome. Your comments help us to understand what we are doing right – as well as flagging up anything that could be improved. In this testimonial, Dyslexia…
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