How does The Sound Way work?

Why Phonetics and Explicit Instruction?

English is a phonetic language. Approximately 93% of English words are totally phonetic and follow the rules of English spelling. The Sound Way program has combined an integrated these two facts into one systematic, logical and sequentially developed program. This knowledge can now be explicitly and systematically imparted to students via the competent Sound Way video-teacher allowing maximum student growth and competency to take place.

Works within neural pathways of the brain developing logic and reasoning

The Sound Way is much more than just another phonics program that develops phonemic awareness. It adds the vital component of working powerfully within the neural pathways of students' brains as it teaches, models, drills, exhorts and gives practise in the important aspects of careful listening, clear speaking and articulation, quality handwriting, accurate spelling, good comprehension, and expressive oral reading. Students are taught to develop their own logical, clear thinking and reasoning skills via use of the program.

Provides students with understanding

The Sound Way programs teach and provide the students with a tangible understanding of the mechanics of the English language. Students actually learn the 'how and why' of the construction of most English words. For example, the five reasons there are for having a final silent 'e' in words; or the reason we double the 'p' in a word like "stopping" but not in a word like "jumping".

Basic Methodology

The Sound Way programs (Junior and Senior) begin by first teaching and programming the brain with the 45 sounds (phonemes) that comprise English words and the 75 ways there are of representing these sounds on paper (phonograms). The teaching, drilling and instilling of this knowledge is commenced in the very first video-lesson and continues throughout the program.

Once students have been equipped by the video-teacher, they are then able to start writing and producing simple words purely from their sounds. Words are just a series of sounds one after the other. E.g. d... o... g. Now, because students have been taught and drilled with these sounds (phonemes) and how to represent them on paper (phonograms), they are now able to write the word "dog" from its 3 sounds using phonograms.

By continually combining and integrating new phonetic knowledge with the Rules of English Spelling throughout the program, The Sound Way is able to gradually take Senior Program students to the most sophisticated levels of understanding and capability; even to confidently handle words such as "conscientious" and "appendicitis".

Junior Program students, being much younger, are taken to an early high school level of word.

A typical Senior Sound Way Lesson comprises of an interactive 40-min. face-to-face video lesson with Craig, the video-teacher; followed by a 20-min. Workshop Book exercise; followed by a 15-min. interactive video that marks the Workshop Book exercise. With the School and Workplace programs there is an added "10-min. Daily Sentence Construction Exercise" that is completed within each lesson.

The content of a typical Junior Sound Way Lesson is basically the same as the senior; but the language has been modified for younger children and the lessons include verse and rhyme speaking with a five-minute Storytime at the end.

A unique program, stunningly effective with all people

The Sound Way program is unique in its ability to be able to place an experienced, highly qualified native English speaking teacher into every home and classroom he is needed; no matter where they may be in the world. He is then able to model and teach correct speech and articulation to the students; while at the same time bring them to independence and competency in their own ability to now read, write, spell and clearly speak English words. That is, they have now attained to be coming independent learners.

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"Poor spelling and reading has nothing to do with intelligence... but everything to do with teaching... everyone learns The Sound Way!"