This document provides information about wiring children's brains so they can learn to read and spell with confidence. It discusses the importance of phonemic awareness - the ability to hear smaller sound parts in words. Children need to be able to do this before being taught phonics. The document outlines quick tests teachers can do to identify students who struggle with phonemic awareness and may need extra support. It also provides activities and resources teachers and parents can use to develop children's phonemic awareness through daily 5-7 minute sessions focusing on speech sounds. The goal is for every child to have strong phonemic awareness before being taught other reading and spelling skills.

1. Wiring brains so that ALL children can
learn to read and to spell with
confidence.
Starting at the very beginning…

2. These are the vital pieces of the
reading and spelling puzzle

4. If you start with ‘spelling’ the reading
part can be much easier for children

5. Before you even use the decoding
folder / resources…..

7. .
We speak – we say words that are
made up of smaller speech sounds-
and then we use combinations of
letters to represent those speech
sounds in print.
Letter names are simply labels.
The speech sounds they represent
are what matters most.

9. Think of the processes involved to
actually spell this simple word.
(memorising it doesn’t really help the brain understand spelling, which is
why ‘sight words’ can do more harm to many children than good)

10. Basic processes..
To first hear the whole word ie ant
To hear 3 smaller parts in that spoken word (a/n/t)
To know which smaller parts are in which order (ie last sound,
middle etc – not t/n/a)
To know how to order these speech sounds on paper – left to
right.
To know which phonemes (speech sound pics) represent
these 3 speech sounds.
If writing this, then to know how to form those speech sound
pics.
(We also want the brain to know what this word means –
which may change the speech sound pics choices in other
words – eg if you ask them to spell the word ‘their’ they need
to know meaning and context they’re? there? etc )

11. Even if they can hear them, they need to know how to count these
speech sounds for spelling. This visual helps them count effectively
(95% of the time)

12. So what happens when you hear the
word spoken and can’t hear the
smaller parts ?

13. Why can’t you hear them and
everyone else seems to be able to?
Are you stupid? Deaf?
Not concentrating? Not listening?
Should you pretend to know and copy
someone else? Or memorise the
whole words so no-one knows you
can’t hear them, or work out
the ‘letter sounds’?
Or just play up in class so people don’t
realise, and hopefully get kicked out..

14. No, my wonderful teacher is going to use SSP and screen me,
and know I can’t hear the smaller parts in words yet. She/ he
will know that this doesn’t mean I’m not the smartest kid in
the class or that I’m not trying. She/ he will know I just have a
brain that is not wired for reading and spelling, as I have poor
phonemic awareness. She will know that keeping on
doing the same things the school has tried before, over and
over, won’t work – and that keeping me back a year will not
only not help, but make me feel worse..
She/ he will know I need my brain networks need modifying,
in order to help me develop phonemic awareness quickly and
easily, so that I can start learning ‘phonics’ and develop
fluency and comprehension.
Thank goodness I am one of the lucky ones who has a
teacher trained in SSP, to help me adapt my brain processing
network 

15. I will be able to hear the smaller parts in words,
and also pronounce them more clearly, along with
everyone else !

16. So parents and teachers…
what is the part of the jigsaw we need
to make sure that EVERY child has,
before we start teaching them the
phonics ie how the phonemes (speech
sound pics) link to speech?

18. Can they hear the sound when you give speech
sounds eg
s / a / t p / i / n
Can they tell you the first, middle, or last sound
of words created with three speech sounds eg
hat pan house tap dog fish
Can they copy the speech sounds using the
puppet, after you show them the speech sounds
r / a / t f / o g
This is all auditory and does not involve print at all. It is this ability to hear speech sounds
that is the biggest predictor of reading and spelling difficulties.

19. Why so quick?
If they find these easy then they will not struggle with the SSP explicit
teaching, as they already have reasonable PA (phonemic awareness)
You are checking every Prep child, so this simple test is all you need, to
identify ‘red alerts’ (children who cannot hear the smaller parts in words, or
identify which is at the beginning or end). There will be around 35% who
don’t find this easy, and 2 or 3 children in your class will be ‘red alerts’. If we
work this out quickly, at the beginning of term 1, we can change this.
Some children can do this, they just don’t understand the terminology or
what you want from them. Make a note to recheck.
Also note children who seem unable to focus for even this short period of
time.
Adapt this according to the child. If the child is distracted by the puppet, don’t
use it. The puppet (with movable mouth) makes it easier for some, as they
can see the mouth moving, alongside the speech sounds. Get to know your
children.

20. Remember, the specific skills we need to test are the ability to hear these smaller
parts in words, and identify placement in the word, the ability to blend speech sounds
and sound pics into words, the ability to manipulate sounds, and code knowledge
(recognising the sound pic and knowing how it links to speech).
Without this it is difficult for all brains to be able to not only work out all of the words
within their text, but to understand it. The brain is having to work too hard.
SSP helps brains work smarter, not harder. The earlier you start using it at home and
in the classroom, the better. If a student is not progressing you need to carry out
these quick tests, identify the gaps, and put an SSP intervention in place. (see RTT
site for program)
If your school has only just started to use SSP I would suggest testing every Year 1,2
and 3 child, as well as any older students currently struggling (especially with
spelling) . I can offer specific PD training in this for Learning Support teachers, and
Tas, if required, along with training about what to do with the results.
With practice, these tests take about 3 minutes per child.

21. Simply mark where there are
difficulties, and make comments.
If you help them that’s fine- just record this. This can be a
learning experience for the child, not just a ‘test’. If they struggle,
spend a few minutes helping them by giving other examples and
telling them how you figured it out. This ‘test’ can be FUN. Pease
be careful how the child perceives this session.
Let them know you are doing this to see what parts of the code
we need to teach them, as they may have missed some before.
Recognise that any difficulties are a result of not having had this
teaching previously, regardless of the reasons for this. No blame
(for child, teacher or parent) – we are moving forward with new
ideas and knowledge, find solutions for each child.

22. Speech Sound Blending
Assessor terminology
The Speech Sound Family speak in speech sounds. So when they
say ‘sat’ they don’t say ‘sat’ – they say s a t (separate speech
sounds, about a second between each one, and if you have a
puppet with mouth that moves then you could use this to show
the speech sounds- especially if the child doesn’t understand the
concept as hasn’t had SSP before)
If I speak in speech sounds what word can you hear ?
p/i/n f/i/sh c/l/o/ck c/r/u/n/ch h/a/pp/y
t/r/ai/n b/u/tt/er/f/l/y

23. Speech sound segmenting
Assessor terminology
Now you are going to speak in Speech Sounds!
Can you tell me the speech sounds in these
words?
pat bell ship hand cheese frog house strain
(check- did they sound them as follows?)
p/a/t b/e/ll sh/i/p h/a/n/d ch/ee/se f/r/o/g h/ou/se s/t/r/ai/n

24. Speech Sound Manipulation
Assessor terminology
If I say the word ‘hat’ without the ‘t’ I would just
say ‘ha’
What would the word be if I said…
rap without the r mog without the m
pin without the n black without the b
lost without the s frog without the r
What would the word be if I change the ‘h’ in
hat to a ‘r’ ? Sss in house to a n – is that a word?

25. Speech Sound Awareness - Rhyme
Assessor terminology
If I say the word ‘hat’ then I might think of
another word that rhymes, like ‘cat’.
Can you do this for a few words?
sit Which word doesn’t rhyme?
ten mat pin hat
man log pog rig
chick mack mick stick

26. Not all sound pics are included, but this will give you an idea of code knowledge.
If the child struggles past the third line then stop. They need practice.
Sound Pic Identification
(speech sound link, not letter name)
Assessor terminology
“ You might think of these as letters, but I see
them as pictures of speech sounds. So when I see
‘s’ I see it as one of the pictures for the speech
sound ‘sssss’, even though the letter name is ‘es’.
What is this a picture of ? “

27. wh ur
ou ea ow ay ie aw ee ey ue oo ui
oy oi ph ew au a-e e-e i-e o-e u-e

28. If they don’t know many, just stop.
However ask if they can see any others
that they do know.
If they know most of these then ask
them to point to the sound pics in
order, to spell the word you give them.
Also point to the sound pics in order to
spell a word (the child tracks the
sound pics, blends in head, then tells
you the word.

29. If this is a new child who does well, then they
will fit into your class easily. If you need to
record their reading age use a standard test eg
Burt etc. These tests are designed to show
where there are specific weaknesses however, if
there are any, and gives you the information
needed in order to get them back on track.
They will need specific training that relates
to the skills they found difficult (see RTT
site when completed) and lots of confidence
building !

30. Activities to do at home, and in the
classroom.
Use 1:1 and small group sessions.
Ask about TA training in PA.
Videos to watch with children
currently being developed.
These are daily 5-7 minute sessions !

31. Show them the cards (print and
laminate) and ask them to tell you
the word. Now close your eyes and
say it again. What speech sound
can you hear at the beginning of
the word? End? Middle?
Can you count them on
your fingers as you say them?

33. Im going to speak in Speech Sounds (use
puppet with movable mouth, or use your
hand as if it’s a beak)
What word can you hear? S / a/ t
At the beginning use green level words, but
as the children become more confident
move through the levels.
This session is oral – no words or
sound pics (letters) are used during
your PA sessions.

34. If the child struggles to hear the
word, have 2 cards with pictures
on them, and tell them you are
going to tell them the speech
sounds for one of these words.
Which do you think it is?

35. Now YOU are going to speak in
speech sounds!
(let them use a puppet if this helps them to
open the mouth as they say each speech sound.
Do this part on a 1:1 if self-conscious)
Can you say the speech sounds for the word..
pit sat etc (again, move through the
levels)

36. When they can hear the speech sounds in green level
words, tell you the order as they count them on their
fingers, tell you the first, middle last speech sound..
Start to also manipulate speech sounds
What if I change the X to a X – what would
the new word be?
What if I took X out of the word – what
would I say?
What would I need to change to make
hat into hats – or pit into pat? etc

37. Keep checking this PA folder for
updates and new resources..
www.slideshare.net/readingwhisperer
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