What is Sounds Write?

Sounds Write is an evidence-based literacy program initially developed in England by Teacher and Lecturer John Walker. The program has since been introduced in Australian schools and Speech Pathology practices to support individuals with literacy difficulties and diagnoses such as dyslexia.

One of the reasons that Sounds Write is so effective is due to its explicit teaching in the three skills of: segmenting, blending and phonemic manipulation. With these skills individuals can learn to develop their reading and writing skills and progress through the Sounds Write units.

What are these three skills:

Segmenting: Is identifying the individual sounds (phonemes) in a word. For example, the word ‘fish’ has three sounds or phonemes ‘f-i-sh’.

Blending: Is combining sounds to form a word. For example, the sounds ‘p-i-g’ join or blend to make ‘pig’.

Phonemic Manipulation: Is the ability to modify, change or move the individual sounds in a word.

Why is literacy important?

Literacy is a vital skill for individuals to develop to navigate the world around them and succeed academically. However, some individuals may experience challenges in this area, such as:

Difficulty with phonemic awareness: Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds in words. Individuals who struggle with this skill may have difficulty with reading, writing, and spelling.

Weakness in decoding: Decoding is the ability to use letter-sound knowledge to read words. Individuals who struggle with this skill may have difficulty with reading fluency and comprehension.

Trouble with spelling: Spelling is the ability to represent the sounds in words with letters. Individuals who have difficulty with spelling may struggle with writing and reading comprehension.

Sounds Write can not only be used for children who experience literacy difficulties but adults as well. So, if you are a parent or individual looking for a structured literacy program to assist with literacy skills Sounds Write may be an excellent option to consider. The Speech Pathologists at Adaptability Therapy are trained in delivering Sounds Write, so please reach out to discuss your concerns with our friendly team and see if we may be able to support you or your child.

If you would like to know more about the Sounds Write program, please follow the link below to the Sounds Write website. https://sounds-write.co.uk/