Discovering Sounds Write: Our Secret to Reading Success
- thelittleharvestac
- Jul 18, 2024
- 3 min read
Hey there, Little Harvest Academy family! 🌟 We’re excited to share one of our favourite tools for teaching reading and spelling – Sounds Write! If you've ever wondered how we help our kiddos become confident readers and spellers, this blog post is for you. Let’s dive into the magic of Sounds Write and see how it transforms learning into a fun and engaging experience.
What is Sounds Write?
Sounds Write is a structured phonics program designed to teach students how the alphabetic code works. Simply put, it helps kids understand the relationship between letters and sounds, giving them the skills they need to become effective readers and spellers. At Little Harvest Academy, we use Sounds Write because it breaks down the complex process of learning to read into manageable, easy-to-learn steps.
Why Reading Isn't Just One Skill
Learning to read isn’t just about recognising words on a page. It involves a mix of skills, conceptual knowledge, and understanding the code of written language. While children naturally learn spoken language, they need explicit and systematic instruction to master reading and writing. That’s where Sounds Write comes in, guiding our little learners through this journey with clarity and support.
Core Concepts of Sounds Write
To become a proficient reader, kids need to grasp a few key ideas:
Visual Code: English uses a visual code where letters (or groups of letters) represent sounds.
Spelling Sounds: A sound can be spelled with 1, 2, 3, or even 4 letters.
Multiple Spellings: One sound can have many spellings (like /ae/ in ‘rain,’ ‘play,’ ‘gate,’ or ‘break’).
Multiple Sounds for One Spelling: A single spelling can represent more than one sound (like <ea> in ‘sea,’ ‘head,’ and ‘break’).
Why Sounds Write Works
From the first year of school through Year 6, Sounds Write introduces kids to the 175 most common spellings of the 44 sounds in English. This program is carefully structured to move from simple to more complex concepts, ensuring that students master each step before moving on. This methodical approach helps build a strong foundation in reading and writing.
Good phonics programs, like Sounds Write, also use decodable books. These books are specifically designed to align with what children are learning, allowing them to practice blending sounds into words and segmenting words into sounds. Every lesson includes these decodable readers, giving kids plenty of practice to become fluent readers.
Multi-sensory Learning with Sounds Write
One of the coolest things about Sounds Write is its multi-sensory approach. Kids engage their touch, sight, sound, and speech as they learn. They copy and say the sounds, connecting what they hear with what they see written down. This approach helps solidify their understanding and makes learning interactive and fun!
How We Use Sounds Write at Little Harvest Academy
At Little Harvest Academy, Sounds Write is a cornerstone of our tutoring sessions. We start with a free assessment to gauge each child’s letter and sound knowledge and reading skills. This helps us tailor our sessions to meet their specific needs.
In every lesson, we incorporate decodable readers to ensure kids get lots of practice with their reading fluency. This consistent practice reinforces their skills and builds their confidence.
By using Sounds Write, we’re committed to giving our students the tools they need to succeed in reading and writing. It’s all about making learning a joyful journey, one step at a time.
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We hope you enjoyed this peek into the Sounds Write program! If you have any questions or want to learn more about how we use Sounds Write to support your child’s reading journey, feel free to reach out. Let’s keep growing and learning together! 🌈📚
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