Breakthrough technique for Dyslexia

(and for any children struggling with reading and spelling)

Overcoming Voice Blindness

Emma Hartnell-Baker BEd Hons MA Special Educational Needs Doctoral Student, Griffith Uni, Early Literacy Interventions

Writing in the journal Science, the scientists say that

many people could have some degree of "voice

blindness". By studying it, scientists hope to better

understand how the human brain has evolved to recognise speech.

Humans rely on small sounds called phonemes to tell

one person from another. They are the basis of our

written code and children MUST be taught how speech

sounds link to phonemes (sound pics) on paper.

A simple way to help children understand the concept, is

to refer to pictures of speech sounds, not letters ie ‘speech sound pics/ sound pics.

As we first try to form the word fog, for example, phonemes are the “fuh"-

"og"-"guh" sounds that our parents prompt us to make.

But as we master the ability to read, most become less reliant on

recognising these sounds to read, and eventually stop noticing them. It is

vitally important for spelling however, and so we must not allow children

to stop noticing them.

If children are not given phonemic awareness training (poor phonemic

awareness is at the root of dyslexia and other reading and spelling

difficulties) then they will struggle to read and spell with confidence at all.

Children cannot follow a phonics program without phonemic awareness.

This is why so many are actually limiting. They need the whole package.

Using SSP children can read and spell within 4 terms, regardless of starting point, from Prep and beyond. They can be exposed to the whole of the English

alphabetic code, which includes every way to represent every speech sound (phoneme/ grapheme)

Explicit phonics/ synthetic phonics teaching isn’t enough.

The tiny inflections in the way people pronounce phonemes

gives a listener cues to tell one voice from another. They are

also the foundation for spelling development. Within the

Speech Sound Pics Approach (SSP) we teach children to

hear the smaller parts in spoken words, and to know how to

count them for spelling. If children can't spell words using

lines first (one to represent each speech sound) then they

will struggle to make the choices with regards to which

sound pic to choose. Learning spelling words by memory is

not an effective long term strategy as the focus is not on the

speech sound to speech sound pic link.

If children can’t ‘see’ the speech sound pics in words, this

also limits their ability to read for fluency and comprehension.

There are a number of interesting studies being undertaken, that

will reinforce why the Speech Sound Pics approach is so effective

for ALL learners - including those with dyslexia. There are far too

many gimmicks and fads out there (many of which cost and arm

and a leg), but the bottom line is that education and neuroscience

research is clear.

It is also why SSP is being included within the BRICKS project

(Bringing Research Into Classrooms 4 KidS) and will be FREE to

all as sponsored by individuals and organisations who believe that

every child should be given the opportunity to develop a brain

‘wired’ for reading and spelling.

Developing phonemic awareness in this way actually modifies brain networks, and re-wires dyslexic brains.

Because people who suffer from dyslexia are known to struggle with

phonemes when reading, a US-based team of scientists wondered

whether they might also struggle hearing them in people's voices. To investigate, the researchers grouped 30 people of similar age,

education and IQ into two camps: those with and without a history of dyslexia. The subjects then went through a training period to learn to associate 10

different voices, with 10 computer-generated avatars. The subjects were then later quizzed on how many of those voices they

could match to the avatars. Non-dyslexics outperformed people with a history of dyslexia by 40%

when listening to English.

This was no surprise to those using the SSP Approach to reading and

spelling. It reinforces WHY this approach is so successful. Read about this study from a variety of media sources eg http://www.realclearscience.com/2011/07/29/dyslexia_makes_familiar_voices_hard_to_discern_242332.html

I want to scream from the roof tops. lol He no longer uses pictures to guess the story. I

am so proud of him for trusting me to try yet another approach or 'thing' as he would

say. The big difference this time, IT WORKS!!!! He said to me today," you always knew

I could read , hey mum", I didn't believe you did I, but it's true". One happy Mum still a

way to go , but what a fun journey it will be.

Parent of a child who followed the approach after joining

www.facebook.com/readaustralia and using free resources on

www.slideshare.net/readingwhisperer See SSP in action on

www.youtube.com/readaustralia and visit the web site www.readaustralia.com

Hi Em, I have to touch base and say, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!! Ben's

teacher came to me today and said the switch has finally been flicked. He did a

spelling test today and she said it was the first time he used his ____ _____ _____

lines and he went from getting 5 correct to 13. He also was tested for reading, he

has gone up 1 level in over 12 months. Today he jumped from level 18 to 22 (PM

reader Benchmark). I have not seen him so excited and proud of himself for a very

looooooooooooooong time. At the end of last year I was told not to expect him to

progress too many levels. I know we shouldn't talk levels especially PM readers, but

this is just amazing. We are so thankful for accidently finding you online. I hope the

word gets out and families can benefit the way my family has. My little boy would still

be trying to find his way with reading and spelling, now he can truly see himself as the bright intelligent young man we knew he was.

Phonemic awareness must be developed for the phonics to make

sense. Phonics must be taught systematically and explicitly,

alongside child centred inquiry learning (self discovery ie Speech

Sound Detective) and using enjoyable, stimulating resources that

inspire children so they do not simply learn to read, but LOVE to read

and write. This needs to take place with an environment that is

language and literacy rich, to enable children to develop vocabulary

knowledge, and to become critical thinkers and independent

learners.

Let children reach for the stars ! ALL children. Speech Sound Harry,

Speech Sound Detective, and using lines to indicate the speech

sound to speech sound links in words, needs to be an integral part of any curriculum...

Em

Emma Hartnell-Baker BEd Hons MA Special Educational Needs

Doctoral Student, Griffith Uni, Early Literacy Interventions

The Reading Whisperer

EVERY child or adult reading and spelling in less than 4 terms, regardless of starting point.

___ ___ ____ ____ 1 2 3 4

( )

Download the free Speech Sound Clouds (and poems) from slideshare.net/readingwhisperer

Take part in the 2014 BRICKS Project ‘Using Lines to Re-Wire Dyslexic Brains’

You will basically simply start using lines to split speech sound pics for reading and

spelling activities and record progress.

Email Emma to find out more Emma@ReadAustralia.com