Building Foundational Literacy: Decodable Reading Selections Level A

Building Foundational Literacy: Decodable Reading Selections Level A: Short-Vowel Patterns contains 53 fictional and informational texts specifically designed to provide practice with key short-vowel patterns, blends, and high-frequency words. Reading selections have been specifically written to reinforce the pattern being taught. For instance, when learning short-u patterns, students read about the biggest bug, the camel’s hump, how skunk shrimp help fish, and the jobs trucks do. The words in the selection are limited to those that have been previously presented, except for one to five high frequency or content words. Each selection is accompanied by a brief fill-in-the blanks activity. This activity assesses basic comprehension and also provides students with another opportunity to practice newly learned word recognition skills. The selections are in a copyable form and are illustrated. Because most of the selections are informational, they also build background knowledge.

The text contains such high-interest topics as the true story of the pig that saved a drowning boy, the smallest fish, how pelicans catch fish, the world’s smallest horse, how hummingbirds eat, the insect that looks like a stick, the skink that is mistaken for a snake, the biggest kangaroo, the biggest bird, and the clam that is as big as a man.

Building Foundational Literacy: Reading Selections A is part of a three-book series. Book B focuses on long-vowel patterns. Book C is designed to reinforce r-vowel and other-vowel patterns (aw-paw, OO-moon, oo-book, ow-cow, oy-toy). The books may be used as they are, or they may be used as part of an intervention program: Building Foundational Literacy: A Differentiated Word Recognition Program. Teaching suggestions for each selection along with assessment instruction, and practice activities for the program can be found in Building Foundational Literacy: Resource Manual.