Stairway Decodables

Welcome to Stairway Decodables!

Capstone introduces Stairway Decodables, a supplemental phonics resource to support Science of Reading instruction. Each book combines multiple components of the Science of Reading, including comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and phonological and phonemic awareness, while featuring engaging plots, appealing visuals, and recurring characters who reflect students’ interests and communities. Take reading instruction one step at a time with Stairway Decodables.

70 engaging Decodables featuring a highly adoptable scope and sequence making it the perfect way to supplement your reading program.

80% Decodability or higher across all titles with text load and phonics skills that advance as readers build stamina, confidence, and mastery of each phonics skill.

No-nonsense teaching supports that anyone can access to help their child become a better reader. Every text features high-quality front and back matter to help activate background knowledge, pre-teach any tricky words, and provide phonological awareness tips.

Recurring characters and high quality stories provide a high level of engagement that let these titles stand on their own, while also being a fantastic way to support reading fluency both in the library, or at home with a caregiver.

Print out our Skills Matrix or send our Parent Letter home to help get the most out of your books!

Skills Matrix

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Parent Letter

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Full Books of Each Step!

Step 1 - Tess Has Fun , focuses on short vowels with a specific focus on CvC words and the floss rule.

Step 2 - I Can Do It , teaches consonant blends, specifically initial and final blends.

Step 3 - Beth's Bath ,focuses on digraphs "sh" and "th".

Step 4 - Will's Bike, covers various phonics concepts including soft c/g and trigraphs

Step 5 - Cat Food Clues, focuses on vowel teams (ue, oo, oa, ow) and contains tricky words.

Step 6 - Points and Fouls, provide practice in decoding words with diphthongs.

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This is a delightful collection of relatable decodable text featuring a wide range of titles. The illustrations are colorful and captivating, while the content includes diverse characters engaging in activities that children can easily relate to, connecting with their own experiences. This level also ties in themes from previous levels, such as vehicles and animals, allowing readers to master new skills while reviewing and reinforcing what they’ve already learned. The front matter provides useful information for comprehension, vocabulary practice, and even a word count.

School Library Journal

Consistent, engaging illustrations conveying joy and wit complement the progression of the series...valuable for literacy instruction and reinforcement.

Booklist

My students are benefiting not only from the practice of phonics skills in these texts but also from the authentic and rich literature experiences they provide.

Hilary Baude, Groton Public Schools, CT

I appreciate the simple layout of the "About This Book" as a quick reference for my planning and how it features potentially "tricky words."

Lewiston Public Schools, ME

Where to Buy

Stairway combines multiple components of the Science of Reading to help young readers build background knowledge, increase their vocabulary, and improve language structures all while decoding phonetically regular words. Stairway is the perfect supplemental resource to help bridge students from your basal reading program to real texts. They are available in library hardcover, paperback, or read-along eBooks!

Finally! High quality decodables with an engaging plot that are worth stocking on your library shelves. These books can be low level stories for students to enjoy in addition to providing important phonics practice.

Search for "Stairway Decodables" wherever you purchase library books, or enlist the help of a local expert to build a decodable library that fits your specific needs here. Otherwise you'll definitely find what you need in our catalog, or listed in the purchasing options below!

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