Practical reading guidance for parents
If your child looks at the picture, says a word that seems to fit, or guesses from the first letter, the next step is not simply to tell them to “try harder”.
Give them a moment, bring their attention back to the letters and sounds, and check whether the book actually matches the phonics they have already been taught.
A simple starting point:
Pause → look at the letters → use the sounds they know → help if needed → keep reading.
Why do children sometimes guess words when reading?
A guessed word does not tell you, by itself, exactly why your child is having difficulty.
Sometimes a child notices the first letter and predicts the rest. Sometimes a picture or the sentence gives them an idea of what might make sense. Sometimes the word contains a sound or spelling pattern they do not yet know well enough to decode.
That distinction matters. If they already know the sounds in the word, they may simply need more time and a useful prompt. If the word contains phonics they have not yet been taught, repeatedly asking them to sound it out may not solve the problem.
The aim is to help your child pay attention to the print without turning every difficult word into a long test.
What should I say when my child guesses a word?
Start by giving them a little time. Five from Five's home-reading guidance recommends pausing for around three to five seconds for beginning readers before stepping in.
1. Pause
Give them a few seconds to look at the word and attempt it themselves.
2. Prompt from the print
Bring their attention back to the letters and sounds rather than asking them to guess from the picture.
3. Help, then move on
If one or two useful prompts do not help, supply the word and continue with the sentence.
When they know the sounds in the word
Keep the prompt simple and specific:
- “Have a look at the letters.”
- “What sound does this letter make?”
- “Can you say the sounds and put them together?”
- “You have the first part. What comes next?”
When they still cannot work it out
You do not need to keep prompting until everyone is frustrated. If a couple of useful prompts have not helped, tell them the word and keep reading. Then notice whether the same type of difficulty keeps appearing.
A useful question
Could the practice book be too difficult right now?
A book can look suitable for a child's age and still contain sounds or spelling patterns they have not learned yet.
For beginning readers using decodable texts, SPELD NSW advises choosing texts containing letters and sounds the child has already been taught.
That is why phonics stage matters more than age alone when choosing decodable readers.
Signs the text may need a closer look
- Your child is guessing unfamiliar words repeatedly.
- Many words contain letter-sound patterns they do not recognise.
- You need to supply words on almost every line.
- They can decode simpler material but cannot use the same process in this book.
- You are unsure whether the text matches the phonics currently being taught at school.
None of these observations needs to become a label about your child. They are simply useful information for choosing the next piece of reading practice.
Match reading practice to the phonics they already know
Before choosing another set of readers, find out what your child is actually learning.
You might ask their teacher:
- Which letter sounds are they working on now?
- Are they blending simple words yet?
- Which phonics patterns have already been introduced?
- Is there a particular stage or sequence you would like us to practise at home?
That information is much more useful than choosing a reader because the package appears to suit a particular age.
Where do decodable readers fit?
Decodable readers are books written so a developing reader can apply the phonics knowledge they have been taught while reading connected text.
They are not simply “easy books”. The important part is the match between the text and the reader's current phonics knowledge.
Once you know which sounds and patterns the reader is practising, choosing a suitable book becomes much more straightforward.
Once you know the stage
Three examples of what progression can look like
These examples are not age-based recommendations. Use them only after confirming the phonics knowledge the reader is currently practising.
Not sure which one applies?
Do not guess the phase from age. Confirm what the reader is learning first, then compare the relevant phase and format.
Explore the full Decodable Readers collection →Common reading-practice mistakes to avoid
Using the picture as the main way to identify the word
Pictures are useful for enjoying and discussing a book. But when the task is reading the printed word, bring attention back to the letters and sounds rather than making the picture the main clue.
Correcting every hesitation immediately
Beginning readers often need more processing time. Give them a few seconds before stepping in.
Prompting long after they are stuck
If useful prompts are not helping, supply the word and continue. One word does not need to take over the whole reading session.
Moving to a harder stage just because the previous books were finished
Completing a set does not automatically mean every skill within it is secure. Move according to what the reader can decode and what they are currently being taught.
Choosing entirely by age
Age can be useful general guidance, but for decodable reading it should not replace information about phonics stage.
When should I ask my child's teacher?
If you do not know which sounds or phonics patterns your child has been taught, that is the first question worth asking.
It can also help to check with the teacher when home reading repeatedly feels much harder than expected, when the books coming home seem out of step with what your child can decode, or when you are unsure which stage to use.
A useful question is simply: “Which phonics knowledge should we practise at home right now?”
A simple home-reading routine
Check that the book is reasonably matched to the phonics your child knows.
Give them time. If they get stuck, direct attention to the letters and sounds.
Help briefly, then provide the word and continue.
Talk about what happened or what they learned from the text.
A few questions parents often have
Should I tell my child to sound out every word?
For a word they are expected to be able to decode, encouraging them to look at the letters and use their phonics knowledge can be useful. If limited prompting does not help, provide the word and continue.
What if my child keeps guessing from the pictures?
Bring their attention back to the printed word. The picture can still help you talk about the story and meaning, but it does not need to supply the identity of words they are practising decoding.
How do I know which decodable-reader phase to choose?
Start with the sounds and phonics patterns the reader has already been taught. If you are unsure, confirm the current stage with their teacher before selecting the next set.
Should I move to a harder stage once my child finishes the books?
Not automatically. Check whether the relevant phonics knowledge is established and whether the next stage matches what the child is learning.
Looking for other ways to practise reading and spelling?
Books are one part of literacy practice. Word-building, phonics and spelling games can provide a different format for practising related skills.
Explore Reading & Spelling Games →Start with what they already know
Need practice books that match their current phonics stage?
Compare fiction, non-fiction, individual phase sets, chapter books and larger decodable-reader libraries. Start with the phonics being taught, then choose the format that suits the reader.
Explore Decodable Readers →
