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Decodable readers are a core component of any systematic phonics program, but they are not sufficient on their own to build full literacy mastery. In a complete F–6 literacy sequence such as the Fitzroy Program, structured practice is required to ensure that reading, spelling, grammar, writing, and comprehension develop together in a connected way.
Within this program, integrated workbooks play a central role in consolidating and extending learning beyond reading alone.
The role of integrated workbooks in a phonics program
The Fitzroy Program is a systematic synthetic phonics program used in schools and educational settings across Australia and internationally. It is designed to support explicit instruction in English across the primary years.
At the centre of the program are:
• 9 sets of 10 sequential decodable Fitzroy Readers
• Matching Word Skills Workbooks
• Supporting materials including Fitzroy Sounds, Alphabet Book, and games
View the reading sequence here: Fitzroy Readers
While the Readers introduce and control phonics progression, the Word Skills workbooks ensure that knowledge is consolidated through structured application across spelling, grammar, comprehension, and writing.
Why decodable readers alone are not enough
Decodable readers are essential for early reading success because they provide controlled texts aligned to taught phonics patterns. However, students also need repeated opportunities to apply these skills in writing, spelling, and language tasks.
Without this step, learning can remain fragmented — students may decode accurately but struggle to transfer skills into broader literacy contexts.
The Word Skills workbooks ensure that the concepts introduced in the Readersare:
• Practised through spelling tasks
• Applied in sentence construction
• Reinforced through grammar exercises
• Extended into comprehension and writing
This creates depth of learning and long-term retention.
Unique worksheets linked to each Fitzroy Reader
Each Word Skills workbook is directly aligned with its corresponding set of Fitzroy Readers.
This means:
• Vocabulary is drawn from the Reader text
• Spelling patterns reflect newly introduced phonics concepts
• Comprehension questions relate to the story
• Writing tasks extend the themes of the Reader
This careful alignment reduces cognitive load and strengthens transfer of learning between reading and writing.
Structured progression across F–6 literacy development
The Fitzroy Program is carefully sequenced from foundation phonics through to advanced primary literacy.
Early stages focus on:
• Letter–sound relationships
• Blending and segmenting
• Basic sentence formation
• Early spelling and handwriting
As students progress, Word Skills activities develop:
• Multisyllabic word decoding
• Morphological awareness
• Grammar and punctuation conventions
• Extended comprehension and writing
By the upper levels, students are working with complex language structures that prepare them for secondary English.
Supporting teachers, tutors, and parents
The Fitzroy Program is designed for use across multiple contexts:
• Classrooms
• Home education
• Tutoring and intervention
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) settings
For educators and parents, the integrated structure provides clarity around progression, sequencing, and skill development across all areas of literacy.
Find F-2 Scope and Sequence documents here: Scope and Sequence
To identify the correct entry point to the program, visit: Where to Start
Fitzroy Program: a complete phonics system
The Fitzroy Program is a complete F–6 literacy resource aligned with the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 emphasis on systematic phonics instruction and explicit teaching.
It includes:
• Fitzroy Sounds (early phonics introduction with audio)
• Alphabet Book (foundational letter-sound knowledge)
• 90 decodable Fitzroy Readers
• Word Skills integrated workbooks
• Supplementary audio, Fitzroy Readers app, and educational games
Together, these components form a structured, evidence-based pathway to reading and writing mastery.
Final note
Decodable readers introduce the structure of English.
Integrated workbooks ensure that students can use it confidently across reading, spelling, writing, grammar, and comprehension.
Used together, they form a complete and systematic F–6 literacy program.
Phonics provides an essential foundation for learning to read, but primary English involves much more than decoding words.
The Fitzroy Program builds from systematic phonics into spelling, grammar, punctuation, comprehension, vocabulary, oral language and writing.
This blog looks at how the Fitzroy Readers and Word Skills work together to develop these skills progressively, from learning the basic letter-sounds through to increasingly complex English and writing skills.
Discover the Phonetic Terms found inside Fitzroy Readers
Writing starts with more than letters.
Before children learn to write, they are developing the hand strength, coordination and pencil control needed for handwriting through drawing, playdough, cutting, construction, craft and everyday activities.
This blog looks at simple ways to develop these skills and introduce pre-writing activities without turning the preschool years into handwriting lessons.
