YOU - as a parent or teachers - can learn activities that help children build their Brain Word Banks!
Come to a workshop, train online, or book in-house training for your neuro-inclusive organisation.
Fun ways to check your own phonemic and orthographic awareness!
150+ EY teachers and parents learning routines developed to target phonemic awareness deficits with 3 - 6 year olds, so that they can offer an early intervention for dyslexia
Although mastering the relationship between speech sounds (phonemes) and their visual counterparts ("pictures of speech sounds" ie graphemes) is crucial for children learning to read and spell, the specific approach used in phonics instruction can be problematic; there are far too many gaps. Many teaching methods and programs, inadvertently create instructional difficulties: about one in four children struggle to learn to read by the end of primary school, and huge numbers do not choose to read in their free time.
Ortho-Graphix fills the orthographic learning gaps.
It is easier to prevent issues in children by introducing Ortho-Graphix before they start formal schooling. Parents and Early Years educators can train with us to teach 2 and 3 year olds to develop oral language skills with phonemic and orthographic awareness, and avoid difficulties when they attend KS1: especially if they are neurodivergent.
We are 'wiring' their brains to be find learning to read and spell easy and enjoyable: reading for meaning and pleasure as quickly as possible is the goal!
Speech Sound Monsters can give children a voice, and show them the graphemes when they choose the phonemes: speech to print!
Ortho-Graphix coaches are not 'teaching children to read and spell': instead, our unique method is centred around enriching children's brains in a way that naturally leads them to 'storing words' in their orthographic lexicon (brain words bank) and find reading and spelling both easy and enjoyable. We prioritise developing oral language skills through engaging activities and literature that resonates with each child's interests. This nurturing approach works well, even alongside the more rigid and uniform synthetic phonics teaching sequences and texts restricted to specific grapheme to phoneme correspondences (GPCs) at each stage of the 'Scope and Sequence'.
Our philosophy, championed by Miss Emma, a neurodivergent learner passionate about self-directed learning, is about cultivating a natural and intrinsic connection to language. We don't aim to produce readers and spellers per se; rather, we focus on preparing children's brains to organically develop orthographic knowledge. The end result, becoming proficient in reading and spelling, is not our primary goal but rather a natural outcome of our holistic, child-centred approach and focus on the three essential skills needed to boost their personal brain word bank!
Ortho-Graphix Coaches believe in creating a foundation for lifelong learning where reading and spelling are not just skills to be mastered, but joyful and spontaneous parts of a child's growth and exploration: we are doing important work: Ortho-Graphix Coaches are at the forefront of addressing the challenges in the UK's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) sector.
The situation with SEND support in the UK is becoming increasingly critical. A cross-party group of MPs has warned that without additional funding and bold policy changes, the SEND crisis is expected to worsen significantly and could spiral out of control. They have highlighted the deepening crisis in special educational needs and disabilities support, with increasing demand far outstripping the available funding and capacity​​.
In this context, the approach of Ortho-Graphix, focusing on creating a foundation for lifelong learning where reading and spelling are natural, enjoyable, and spontaneous parts of a child's growth and exploration, is indeed significant. By prioritising individualised learning and enjoyment over rigid teaching methodologies, Ortho-Graphix is contributing positively to addressing some of these challenges. By engaging in the Ortho-Graphix Award training, parents and carers can take a more proactive role in their children's early literacy development. This training equips them with the tools and knowledge to effectively support their children aged 2 to 5, empowering them to create a nurturing and tailored learning environment that not only enhances reading and spelling skills but also protects and fosters their child's natural curiosity and love for learning.
