Even the littlest kids are motivated by their quest for knowledge. As teachers, one of the ways we can support this quest is by offering nonfiction texts that are both interesting and accessible. It can be a challenge to find texts that meet both of these criteria, and that’s why Daffodil Hill decided to make our own within our Purposeful Practice collections. Here are four considerations to think about when you’re offering nonfiction decodables to kids.
Factor 1: Nonfiction Decodables Should Include Mostly Decodable Content-Specific Vocabulary
Many nonfiction texts written for children include words that are crucial to understanding a topic, but are not yet decodable for them. For example, a nonfiction book about bugs for kindergarteners might include the word antennae. If a child has background knowledge on bugs, they may be able to figure out this word, or “wiggle” through it, as we like to say. However, if children are learning English or don’t yet have background knowledge about the topic, it makes the text inaccessible to them. In nonfiction decodable texts, it makes sense for the words to be decodable based on the phonics that students know or are learning. Daffodil Hill’s Purposeful Practice books are for practice, and we assume students may be reading these books on their own. As a result, we’ve worked to ensure that all words are decodable given the phonics milestones the book addresses. Tip: When you’re reading a nonfiction decodable, you can choose to name and explain concepts that aren’t decodable. For example, you can teach the concept of an herbivore when reading a book like this about deer (or the word ruminating!).
From Deer – A Purposeful Practice Nonfiction Animal Decodable – Long Vowel Teams
Factor 2: Nonfiction Decodables Can and Should Help Students Understand New Words (Even If They’re Decodable)
Did you know that a baby fox is called a kit? This word is easily decodable to most kindergarteners, but most probably don’t know the meaning of the word in this context. The exciting thing, though, is that if a nonfiction book about a topic is supportive enough, kids can actually learn new words by reading. In our books, we work to include pictures, captions, or explanations that help children understand the meaning of new words once they decode them.
From A Fox – A Purposeful Practice Nonfiction Animal Decodable – Short Vowel Words
Factor 3: Nonfiction Decodables Should Teach Students Important and/or New Information
In an effort to be accessible, some nonfiction texts for children may only include very basic information about a topic, meaning that children aren’t really learning anything new as they read. A decodable book about a fox could simply say things like “This is a fox. It can run. It is tan.” In our nonfiction decodable books, we’ve worked to include interesting details that go beyond the most basic facts about a topic, so that even children with some background knowledge will be able to synthesize new information as they read. (A few favorite facts that we’ve learned while authoring these books: A group of foxes is called a skulk. Toads lay eggs in a long strand that looks like a string of beads. Nurse sharks like to hang out on the sandy ocean floor. Certain squid can propel themselves ten feet into the air using a jet of water!)
From Sharks – A Purposeful Practice Nonfiction Animal Decodable – R-Controlled Vowels
Factor 4: Nonfiction Decodables Should Be Interesting and Engaging
We all know those boring early readers—books like American Symbols that read, “This is a statue. This is a monument. This is a flag.” Putting aside the problematic patterned sentences and lack of decodability, a text like this isn’t exactly a page-turner! One of the most powerful things about nonfiction reading is that it empowers children to use reading as a way to think more deeply about the topics they are interested in, and to spark their interest in the world. Given this opportunity, it is important for us to make sure that the pictures and words in a nonfiction text help children actually learn things while also being enjoyable to read. Topics should be relevant and interesting. Images should be attractive and captivating. Nonfiction decodables for kids should be worth reading.
From Sharks – A Purposeful Practice Nonfiction Animal Decodable – R-Controlled Vowels
An important caveat:
Nonfiction decodables can’t stand alone as the only kind of nonfiction reading early readers are exposed to. It’s crucial that we read complex nonfiction texts to and with students to support their knowledge about the world and expand their vocabularies. Still, providing students with nonfiction texts they can read themselves can be incredibly empowering. It can show children that they have the skill to learn from books—and that there is a world of reading out there that can spark their curiosity about the world.
We’re happy to share some of our nonfiction books from our Purposeful Practice Collections with you as free eBooks. Grab them below!