Nelson Decodable Readers

Is Nelson Decodable Readers evidence-based?

In-depth research into early child language acquisition, in line with science of reading research, informed the Nelson Decodable Readers phonic progression that incrementally and systematically builds students' phonics ability.

This progression incorporates a strong focus on brain development research – in particular, 'the reading brain' and child language development – with a specific focus on 'speech sounds' and their various representations in print form.

More information on the research underpinning Nelson Decodable Readers can be accessed here.

Is there a Phonics scope and sequence for Nelson Decodable Readers?

Yes, a Phonics Scope and Sequence and a Spelling and Morphology Scope and Sequence can be accessed here.

Can Nelson Decodable Readers be used alongside other decodable reading programs?

As with many decodable reading programs, Nelson Decodable Readers follows a carefully developed Scope and Sequence. Most programs have small differences in the order in which they introduce phoneme-grapheme correspondences. You can correlate Nelson Decodable Readers to other decodable programs by downloading the Nelson Decodable Readers Scope and Sequence document here.

Do the Nelson Decodable Readers align with the Australian Curriculum?

Yes, the Nelson Decodable Readers align with the requirements of the Australian Curriculum: English V9.

What year levels are Nelson Decodable Readers most suitable for?

Nelson Decodable Readers Sets 1–14 are developed for students in the first two years of primary school.

What is the Nelson Decodable Readers Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool?

The Nelson Decodable Readers Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool is a free, downloadable resource designed to be a quick and easy screening tool for teachers to see what students already know, identify any gaps and plan for what students are ready to learn next. This tool will help teachers place the students at the correct stage of the Nelson Decodable Readers series.

You can download the Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool at the below links:

Levels 1–5

Levels 6–9

Levels 10–14

When should I use the Nelson Decodable Readers Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool?

A student's phonics knowledge should be assessed several times throughout the year to help inform instruction.

You can download the Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool at the below links:

Levels 1–5

Levels 6–9

Levels 10–14

Does the Nelson Decodable Readers Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool include pseudo words?

The Nelson Decodable Readers Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool includes a small bank of pseudo words (non-words). These words are included because students cannot recognise the words from memory, so they are a good way of tracking the sounding out and blending skills of students.

You can download the Teacher Diagnostic Assessment Tool at the below links:

Levels 1–5

Levels 6–9

Levels 10–14

What is the difference between Nelson Decodable Readers and Nelson Phonics-in-a-Box Story Books?

Nelson Decodable Readers include a range of engaging fiction and non-fiction texts in every set. Tightly controlled decodable vocabulary and the careful inclusion of high-frequency words support the sequence of phonemes and graphemes taught. Each book includes pre-reading and post-reading activities, including comprehension questions (literal and inferential).

Nelson Phonics-in-a-Box Decodable Story Books provide a range of engaging fiction texts with minimal teacher support provided in each book. These books also include controlled vocabulary to support the sequence of phonemes and graphemes taught, but with fewer instances of the focus sound/s and fewer decodable words than Nelson Decodable Readers. The Nelson Phonics-in-a-Box Story Books follow the Nelson Phonics-in-a-Box Scope and Sequence.

Can I use Nelson Decodable Readers for take-home reading?

Yes, you can send Nelson Decodable Readers home for students to further practise and consolidate their skills. The decodable book/s sent home should only contain the letter–sound knowledge explicitly taught.

Phonics

What is Synthetic Phonics?

Synthetic Phonics is a method of teaching children to read. The word 'synthetic' refers to 'synthesising' – that is, blending together. Phonics refers to the connection between individual speech sounds (phonemes) and their written representations (graphemes), organised in a logical sequence. A student who learns to read using synthetic phonics links graphemes to phonemes and blends them together.

What are decodable books?

Decodable books are texts that allow students to consolidate and practise their understanding of explicitly taught letter sounds and challenging words, including high-frequency words.

What are high-frequency words?

High-frequency words are the most frequently used, or most common words, in the English language, such as 'the', 'was', 'am', 'of', 'and' and 'a'. High-frequency words are included in decodable books and should be taught explicitly. Refer to the Nelson Decodable Readers Scope and Sequence to review the decodable and irregular high-frequency words used throughout the Nelson Decodable Readers books.

What are 'Challenging Words'?

Within the Nelson Decodable Readers series, 'challenging words' are words that contain new sounds and graphemes not yet taught, or that don't follow ordinary phonemic or spelling rules. Each title lists 'Challenging Words' on the inside front cover for pre-teaching and discussion.

What is phonological awareness?

Phonological awareness is one of the five essential elements of reading. It is the foundation for phonics. Phonological awareness is an awareness of the sound structures of language. This includes being able to hear syllables, rhymes and individual speech sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Phonological awareness provides us with the crucial skills that allow us to learn how to read.

What is phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness is considered a sub-category of phonological awareness, which is one of the five essential elements of reading. Phonemic awareness is purely auditory. It focuses the listener on identifying where the individual speech sound (phoneme) is placed in a word. A student with developed phonemic awareness skills can hear, identify, blend, segment and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.

What is phonics?

Phonics is one of the five essential elements of reading. It refers to the connection between individual speech sounds (phonemes) and their written representations (graphemes), organised in a logical sequence. These graphemes are made up using the 26 letters of the English alphabet.

What is fluency?

Fluency is one of the five essential elements of reading. It is the ability to read accurately and expressively. When students are fluent readers, they recognise the correct sequence of letters/combination of letters (graphemes) that represent each speech sound (phoneme) within a written word. When reading fluency is achieved, there is no cognitive load associated with reading any more, and the reading is as easy as listening.

What is vocabulary?

Vocabulary is one of the five essential elements of reading. Vocabulary is recognising and understanding a wide variety of words when reading. Vocabulary also plays an important role in comprehension.

What is comprehension?

Comprehension is one of the five essential elements of reading. It is the ability of students to make meaning from what they are reading. The Nelson Decodable Readers enable beginner readers to begin practising and developing their comprehension skills. Each book includes literal and inferential questioning.