All of us know that learning to read is hard work for kids, but we also believe that it should be joyful. So when we place those very first books into children’s hands, we have a great responsibility. Without a doubt, we need to ensure that children learn the mechanics of reading and become proficient readers. We have a further obligation though to foster a love of reading that children will take with them throughout their schooling and throughout their lives.
For books to accomplish these goals, they must satisfy various criteria. They need to be interesting (so that students are motivated to read), comprehensible (so that students can understand the content), and instructive (so that students can learn key reading skills from them). This is a tall order that the Jump Rope Readers’ 66 high-interest decodable books and six accompanying read-alouds were specifically designed to tackle.
In fact, our Jump Rope Readers go even one step further to include characters who are representative of the beautifully diverse children who read these books. We believe this element of representation is crucial for kids.
Jump Rope Readers are interesting.
We know that students connect most deeply with books when they feel invested in the people who they are reading about. And kids who read Jump Rope Readers can’t help but fall in love with the characters. Kids will meet Ana with her big imagination, and Tam, who’s full of energy and mischief. There’s Imran, who’s a bit shy at first, and Nick, who loves dinosaurs and dirt. What’s more, all the Jump Rope Readers take place in the same neighborhood, and kids delight when their favorite characters from earlier books make unexpected cameos in later ones. One of my all-time favorites is when characters from different books meet up at a Hip Hop class in Let’s Dance.
These and other engaging characters and stories come to life with rich and vibrant illustrations created by a diverse group of talented illustrators, many of whom are already familiar to kids from popular picture book series.
Jump Rope Readers are Comprehensible.
We also know, based on Scarborough’s Reading Rope and our own experiences, that kids need to develop word recognition and language comprehension in order to become skilled readers.
Jump Rope Readers are grounded in this research and designed with a clear structure that makes it easy for burgeoning readers to grasp both the word recognition and the language comprehension essential for developing reading skills. The books in Set A are perfect for beginners, with three short episodes per book that each have a beginning, middle, and end. As students progress to Set B, they encounter books that transition from episodic tales to early chapter books, introducing more complexity while still providing a predictable structure.
All of these stories are told using natural-sounding language and familiar vocabulary, so that they are both fun and accessible to kids.
Jump Rope Readers are Instructive.
Jump Rope Readers give kids the opportunity to practice their word recognition skills and apply what they’ve learned in their phonics lessons. The phonics scope and sequence of the series begins simply, starting with a few high-leverage letter sounds—M, T, N, S, and A—and some foundational high-frequency words like "and," "can," "is," "like," "on," "see," and "the." Gradually, new letter-sound correspondences are introduced, progressing from simpler to more complex phonics concepts. This intentional sequence helps students gain confidence as they master each step, giving them a solid foundation in early reading.
You’ll notice that, as kids move through the series, they not only practice decoding and sounding out words, but they build their sight vocabulary too.
Jump Rope Readers are Representative.
We know that books can serve as "mirrors"—reflecting a child's own experience—or "windows"—offering a glimpse into someone else’s world. This series provides both – showing diverse characters that reflect the lives of our readers, while opening kids’ eyes to people, cultures and experiences that may be unfamiliar to them
When we sit next to a child reading a Jump Rope Reader, and she exclaims "She looks just like me!" we are reminded of the power representation has in fostering a love of reading.
Jump Rope Readers are Practical.
When you put these readers into kids’ hands, it can feel a bit like magic. Kids may be dubious at first that they can read all the words, but as they read on, they gain confidence and momentum. Fortunately, there are countless ways for you to incorporate these readers into your classrooms! You can try:
Matching Readers with the Right Book: Determine each child's phonic decoding ability, and then match them with the appropriate level in the series for independent reading. The gradual progression of phonics content makes it easy to find the right fit for each student.
1:1 Reading Conferences: Coach readers individually, using the stories to guide them through new phonics concepts while also discussing character motivations and storylines to enhance comprehension.
Group Instruction: Pull together small groups of children who are at similar instructional levels and engage them with the books. These books work well with a variety of reading approaches: shared reading, partner reading, or guided reading.
For more ways to use these books, check out these ideas for using Jump Rope Readers in the classroom.
Need more information on Jump Rope Readers? Download the overview here. For more learning on supporting beginning readers with decodable texts, register for this edWebinar on December 3, 2024 from 3-4 p.m. EST.