Beyond the Code 3 - Explode the Code Author:Nancy Hall Focus: Comprehension and Reasoning Skills — Beyond the Code can be used independently or as part of the Explode the Code Program. This series develops important comprehension and thinking skills for beginning readers. Concepts such as consonant blends and diagraphs are present in all 4 books of Beyond the Code; writing and spelling exerc... more »ises that precede the stories teach new phonetic patterns and sight words. Drawings accompany many of the new words to help students understand the vocabulary. The short fictional stories develop reading skills; the stories become slightly longer as the series progresses. Lively illustrations add visual interest and aid student's understanding of the text. Questions and exercises following the stories develop comprehension and critical thinking; some ask students to connect the events of the story to their own experience, so they must go beyond a simple retelling of the story's plot.« less