I Can Read Without You (ICRWY) Project: A Focus on the Speech Sound Connection
*Full Explicit Linguistic and Visual Phonics Program with Decodable Readers - Master the 100 Standard GPCs, Pass the PSC in Prep
*Ortho-Graphix Code Mapping Tool - Orthographically map any words - SEE the Graphemes - Print Orthographically Mapped Texts
*Map and Drag - Map 1 or 2 words, Drag the Speech Sound Monsters onto the words and Print Words eg Name Cards
*Interactive Readies Library: Click on any words to SEE the graphemes, HEAR the phonemes - a focus (in meaningful context) on the 'irregular' GPCs not taught explicitly within the explicit phonics instruction -- initially with the One, Two, Three and Away! series.
Ortho-Graphix:
Unlocking and Enhancing
Orthographic Knowledge
In the journey of teaching phonics, we support children in mapping speech sounds (phonemes) to graphemes (letters or letter strings), a foundational skill that applies to all written words. Understanding this correspondence is key for children to identify spelling patterns, to foster 'orthographic knowledge,' and to eventually read words automatically. This skill is rooted in 'Orthographic Mapping'—the process where countless words are stored in the brain's orthographic lexicon. When we encounter a word like 'hieght' instead of 'height,' our brains naturally signal a mismatch, even though it may seem to follow the 'i before e except after c' rule.
Ortho-Graphix is designed to enhance teachers' orthographic knowledge, equipping them with advanced tools to effectively guide students through the complexities of English spelling and reading.
Mapping Grapheme-to-Phonemes and Phonemes-to-Graphemes!
Orthographic Knowledge Teacher Training 2024​
In 2024, empowering teachers with Orthographic Knowledge training is our foremost goal, equipping them to elevate their students' literacy to new heights.
Ortho-Graphix expands on 'code mapping': unlocking orthographic knowledge for students, facilitating the intricate process of orthographic mapping for the rapid recognition and recall of words.
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For teachers of phonics, it not only enhances but also advances teaching methodologies, ensuring they can meet and exceed the learning needs of their students. Given that many phonics educators may lack essential orthographic awareness, prioritising Ortho-Graphix training becomes imperative even if not using Speech Sound Monsters.
Phonics programs only teach around 100 of the Grapheme to Phoneme Correspondences (GPCs)
eg the 4 'Code Levels' Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach teachers teach in Reception.
Readers are familiar with words that have GPCs not explicitly taught as they have developed orthographic knowledge, and can read words like 'village' without conscious effort.
Ortho-Graphix bridges the gap between the learning that takes place within systematic phonics programs and fills in the gaps to unlock the orthographic knowledge needed to facilitate orthographic mapping.
