.png "Read and Check Kindergarten Decodables graphic promoting UFLI-aligned phonics readers for beginning kindergarten students.")
Teaching kindergarten students to read is one of the most important — and delicate — jobs we do. At the very beginning of reading instruction, children are not yet fluent readers. They are learning how to hear sounds, connect letters to those sounds, and blend them together to read words for the first time.
Yet one of the biggest challenges kindergarten teachers face is this:
Many decodable readers expect students to read full sentences before they are developmentally ready.
This gap between instruction and practice can slow progress, create frustration, and lead students to rely on guessing instead of decoding. That is exactly why Kindergarten Read and Check Decodable were created — to meet students where they are and support true early reading success.
What Are Decodable Readers?
Decodable readers are texts designed to give students practice applying phonics skills they have already learned. Instead of memorizing repetitive patterns or guessing words from pictures, students use letter-sound knowledge to read. I use UFLI Foundations to teach phonics to my students.
High-quality decodable readers help students:
Strengthen phonemic awareness
Practice blending sounds into words
Build accuracy and fluency
Develop confidence as readers
For kindergarten students, decodable readers are most effective when they closely match the phonics skills being taught. My Read and Check Decodables are aligned to the UFLI Foundations program.
Why UFLI Alignment Matters in Kindergarten
The UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) approach to reading instruction is rooted in research-based practices and a clear, systematic progression of phonics skills. UFLI emphasizes:
Explicit phonics instruction
Gradual skill progression
Ongoing assessment
Intentional practice aligned to instruction
When decodable readers are aligned to a UFLI-supported scope and sequence, students are not asked to read skills they have not yet learned. Instead, they practice exactly what has been taught — no guessing required.
This alignment helps ensure that phonics instruction transfers directly into real reading.
The Real Problem with Most Kindergarten Decodable Readers
One of the biggest challenges in kindergarten literacy instruction is that many decodable readers are not designed for students who are just beginning to blend words.
At this stage, kindergarten students are still learning how to:
Blend two- and three-sound words
Hold sounds in working memory
Track print from left to right
Focus on decoding without relying on pictures
However, many “beginner” decodable books jump too quickly into:
Full sentences
Multiple unfamiliar words per page
Sight-word overload
Text that encourages guessing
When students are pushed into sentence reading too early, the cognitive load becomes too heavy. Instead of decoding, students may guess. Instead of gaining confidence, they may feel frustrated or believe they are not good readers.
This is not a student problem.
It is a text design problem.
How Read and Check Decodable Readers Solve This Problem
Kindergarten Read and Check Decodable Readers aligned to UFLI were intentionally designed to follow how reading actually develops in young learners:
These readers:
Begin with simple word-level decoding
Limit phonics patterns to what students have already learned
Reduce visual distractions
Allow students to focus on blending, not guessing
By starting at the word level, students experience success early. That success builds confidence, stamina, and motivation to keep reading.
What Makes Read and Check Decodable Readers Different
These kindergarten decodable readers were created with both teachers and students in mind.
Purposeful Phonics Practice
Each reader aligns to specific phonics skills, making them a perfect companion to systematic phonics instruction such as UFLI.
Built-In Comprehension Checks
After reading, students simply lift the post-it note to “Read and Check” to reinforce meaning without overwhelming them.
Developmentally Appropriate Design
The one word format and phonetically patterned words are carefully controlled to match kindergarten learners.
Flexible Classroom Use
These readers work well for:
Small group instruction
Literacy centers
Independent reading practice
Intervention and support
At-home reading practice
Benefits for Kindergarten Students
When students use UFLI-aligned Read and Check Decodable Readers consistently, they:
Strengthen phonics skills
Improve blending and decoding accuracy
Build reading confidence
Develop early fluency
Transfer phonics skills into real reading
Most importantly, students begin to see themselves as successful readers.
How to Use These Decodable Readers in Your Literacy Block
Here are a few simple ways to integrate these readers into your kindergarten routine:
Use them after phonics lessons for immediate practice
Include them in literacy centers for purposeful independent work
Send them home for reinforcement and family support
Use the “Read and Check” component as a quick comprehension check
Because the readers are aligned to phonics instruction, they fit seamlessly into your existing literacy block.
UFLI-Aligned Decodable Readers You Can Use with Confidence
Finding developmentally appropriate decodable readers for kindergarten can be difficult — especially for students who are just beginning to blend words.
Read and Check Decodable Readers aligned to UFLI bridge that gap by providing carefully designed phonics practice that builds skills step by step.
If you are looking for decodable readers that truly support beginning readers and align with research-based phonics instruction, you can explore the full collection here:
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