A change is coming to the Ontario Curriculum this fall, and the library is here to help!
In response to the Right to Read inquiry report that was released by the Ontario Human Rights Commission in 2022, the Ontario government has revamped how students in Grades 1-3 are taught how to read.
Previously, reading was taught using the “three-cueing system”, which required students to guess or predict words using cues or clues from prior knowledge and context. This presented challenges for those with reading disabilities, and the report noted that “learning to read is not a privilege, but a basic and essential human right.”
In response, the curriculum is moving back to ‘phonemic awareness’ and ‘phonics’ or decoding – using knowledge of letter-sounds and English spelling patterns to ‘sound out’ a word. Using phonemic awareness to break down sounds within words, and developing knowledge of English letter-sound connections and spelling patterns, allows students to learn through recognition of phonemes and patterns to develop skill through foundational growth; slowly and methodically.
What does this have to do with the library?
Decodable books are written in a way that allows children to practice these phonic skills, creating vital connections between letters and sounds. We have a large selection of decodable books at the library, and are creating a new Featured Collection so they are easy to find. And thanks to a $500 grant from International Dyslexia Association Ontario (IDA) our collection will be growing!
Want to introduce your child to decodable books before the beginning of the school year? Check out our list of recommended reads below:
- My Phonics Readers by Shannon Anderson
- Whole Phonics readers by Jill Lauren
- Meg and Greg series by Elspeth Rae
- Bob Books by Lynn Maslen Kertell
- Une syllabe à la fois series by Michelle Khalil
We’ll be pulling all our decodable books from their current location on our shelves and creating a new Featured Collection to make them easier to find. Stay tuned for news of when this Featured Collection launches!
Questions? Email AskUs@barrielibrary.ca, call 705-728-1010, fill out our AskUs form.