When you set up the Decodable Reader Tool you use the Sample Words tab.
In this tab you see a box called 2) Place Text files in Your Sample Texts Folder. This box shows names of any files that are in the Sample Texts folder. You will want to put files in this folder that contains word lists and sample texts.
The Decodable Reader Tool can find matching words from these files. Then these words appear in the Decodable Reader Tool pane as suggestions.
Files in this folder that Bloom can read must be *.txt files. They must be Unicode (UTF-8). Some text editors, such as Gedit in Linux, do not automatically add .txt to the file name. In this case, you need to manually edit the file name to add ".txt".
In Microsoft Word, for example, you can save the *.doc or *.docx file as a *.txt file.
This will allow all characters in the Unicode set to appear correctly in the Decodable Reader Tool and match what is typed in Bloom.
The files can contain word lists or paragraphs of text.
If you include texts, instead of just a word lists, the suggestions can be the most common words, words that kids use every day. The Decodable Reader Tool can sort the words by frequency so you are aware of the common words.
If files came from a Reader Template Bloom Pack, you may see files with names like this: <name>-en.json. In this example, "en" is English.
Do not edit .json files. They contain metadata, such as frequency.
If you need to add more words, add another .txt file to the folder, or type them in the Type Words Here box.
If the boxes in the Sample Words tab are not available, it is because you have selected to option to use the Allowed Words Lists instead.
Decodable Reader Tool overview
Generate a letter and word list report
Make Bloom suggest words for a decodable reader