#29 When Do We Stop Using Decodables? (And What Comes Next)

Last week, we talked all about what decodables are with Brooke Vitali.
This week, we’re tackling the question everyone is quietly wondering…When do we actually stop using them?

In this episode, I walk you through how to think about decodables as a tool (not the goal), what signals students are ready to move on, and what instruction should look like after decodables.

Spoiler: it’s not going back to leveled texts.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• 🔧 Decodables are a tool—nothing more, nothing less They exist to give students practice with phonics skills that have already been explicitly taught.
• 🎯 They are NOT the end goal The goal is not to get good at reading decodables: the goal is to read and understand any text.
• 🧠 Word recognition and comprehension develop separately (at first): Decodables support word recognition. Authentic text builds language comprehension. Both matter.
• 🔄 We don’t move on based on “levels”: Guided reading levels are not grounded in research and shouldn’t drive instructional decisions.
• 📚 The real signal: multisyllabic words: When students can decode and encode multisyllabic words, that’s your cue to begin transitioning away from decodables.
• 🌍 What comes next: authentic text + knowledge building: Shift to thematic text sets that build vocabulary and background knowledge—not leveled systems.

If you’ve ever found yourself trying to understand when to move away from decodables and what’s next, this episode is for you!