Decodable Books to Help Boost Initial Reading Confidence

Support for people struggling to read has arrived at the Waimate District Library, with a stack of decodable books recently introduced.

Courtesy of the Inner Wheel Club Waimate, more than 70 books have been donated to the Library in a bid to help those with dyslexia, children learning to read and older learners wanting to increase their overall reading ability.

The decodable books, which use phonetic sounds to help the reader understand the text, provide a key learning resource for those at the beginning stages of reading (and storylines suitable for 8-14 year-olds), using short vowel sounds to decode simple words such as hat, bed and pig.

Waimate District Librarian Ann Hume was delighted with the donation, pointing out the new range of books would be well used and enjoyed by many.

“Each of these books has its own sound, so those that find it difficult to follow and understand the text in our standard books can work through and get themselves up to speed.

“It’s about giving them the tools to achieve this and it is a very kind and generous donation by the ladies at Inner Wheel.”

Inner Wheel Club Waimate member Gael Grigg, who is also a specialist teacher at Waihao Downs School, says the books help to make a big difference to the lives of those who find reading difficult.

“Most children learn the code quickly, begin to self-teach and can then move on to more advanced books . . . it’s a great way to bring those that may be typically left behind back on to the journey and give them the confidence to learn,” Gael said.

“There’s a wide range of topics among the books, for both boys and girls, so while we will try and get more, this is a great start and we know it will make a substantial difference.”

Looking ahead, the Library hopes to add to the collection of decodable books and will continue to build on this key learning resource.