Texts are carefully selected and sequenced to ensure student success.

The types of texts most frequently used in early intervention programs are predictable texts. The earliest books used in the programs tend to have a close match between pictures and texts, have recurring language patterns, and include repetition of language elements, which make them easy for students to read. Even children with very restricted word recognition capabilities quickly begin to think of themselves as readers because they are successful with these predictable texts. As students progress in the program, the degree of predictability decreases to ensure that students attend to the printed text in order to build a multifaceted word recognition strategy that will make them increasingly independent readers. In the initial phases of instruction, selections also tend to be short so that students can finish a text within an instructional period. As their reading capabilities grow, texts become longer and more challenging.

While none of the successful programs use traditional, narrow measures of readability, all sequence the instructional materials, based on many factors including text predictability (reflected in factors such as recurring language patterns, close picture-to-text match, repetition of words or phrases, etc.), length of text, challenge of vocabulary, complexity of language, sophistication of concepts, etc., so that students are challenged to apply the strategies and skills they are learning.