Orton-Gillingham Decodable Stories – Level 3 – The Swim Club

Orton-Gillingham Decodable Stories Level 3: The Swim Club is a structured decodable reader designed for developing readers learning through the Orton-Gillingham approach. This Level 3 story builds on short vowel words, digraphs, and basic consonant patterns. It provides focused practice with beginning consonant blends and clusters such as fr, sw, cl, sl, gr, st, sc, cr, and sn. Examples include Fran, swim, club, grab, slug, steps, scam, clip, clap, snack, grin, and slip. Carefully controlled text helps children apply previously learned phonics skills while building accurate decoding, reading fluency, confidence, and independence. Is This the Right Level? Level 3 is designed for readers who: • Can read simple short vowel words • Have practised common digraphs • Are ready to read words with beginning consonant blends • Need controlled sentence practice without guessing • Benefit from repetition and guided rereading Phonics Skills Practiced • Short vowel closed syllable words • Beginning consonant blends and clusters • The patterns fr, sw, cl, sl, gr, st, sc, cr, and sn • Words with consonants at both the beginning and end • The ending s in connected text • Review of previously taught digraphs and consonant patterns Sight and Story Words Practiced likes, like, said, see, she, they, their, there, to, more, was, were, could These words should be reviewed before reading. Most other words in the story are intended to be decoded using phonics skills the reader has already learned. About the Story Fran and her friend Pam like to swim at the swim club. They swim laps, use red kick pads, and practise kicking to the steps and back. When Jim says there is a slug on the steps, Fran slips while getting up. Pam helps her back onto the deck, but the children soon discover that Jim was playing a trick on them. Later, Pam cannot find her red clip. She and Fran search the deck and the steps before finding it on the mat. The clear sequence, repeated actions, and simple dialogue help developing readers practise accurate decoding while building fluency and comprehension. Who This Book Is For • Orton-Gillingham tutors • Teachers using structured literacy approaches • Reading intervention teachers • Parents supporting reading practice at home • Homeschool families • Children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties Key Features • Carefully controlled decodable text • Level 3 consonant blend practice • Short vowel word review • Clear and simple sentence structures • Repetition to support reading fluency • Full page illustrations to support comprehension • Designed for guided practice and repeated reading Written by Tammy Harris, an Orton-Gillingham certified reading tutor with over eight years of experience supporting students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. This book is intended for educational reading practice and is not a substitute for professional instruction or individualized educational planning.