The Sounds of Words
by
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To the teacher:
I wrote this book to help students learn how to use their senses to "make sense of" reading, spelling, and writing American English words. It will accompany any text.
This efficient, systematic, multi-sensory decoding method allows the student to use her/his stronger sense(s), while he/she is learning, practicing, and developing her/his weaker sense(s). The method empowers the student, as he/she learns how to mark the letters in words, in order to make multi-sensory "sound sense." The student gains a strong knowledge base in phonics, and her/his confidence and enjoyment of the written word increase.
Then, as decoding skills improve, the student is able to focus his/her concentration on comprehension of the written words. In my 13- year career as a special education teacher, I have seen this method help many students become better readers and writers. I hope it will help many more!
Please note:
This book is meant to provide a guide for a multi-sensory decoding program. For some vowel-consonant sound patterns, I have used simple pronunciation marks, which show approximate sounds. I have attempted to include an example for each sound pattern, using high-frequency words as much as possible. I encourage you to modify it wherever you feel you should.
Also, you may need to show your student(s) how to decode some or all of the example words for the vowel sound patterns. Individual reading ability will dictate this. Use decoding steps 1- 27 with any example word. And, depending on the degree of intervention needed for each individual student, you will find that you will need to modify and omit steps. You should also emphasize the strong sense(s) of each individual, while teaching the others. Success, at all times, should be the plan.
Have fun "playing around with words" !
Wishing you and your students much success,
Anita
CONTENTS
Forward
Decoding Directions
Example Words for "a" Vowel Sound Patterns
Exception Words
Example Words for / ā /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for / ă /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for "e" Vowel Sound Patterns
Exception Words
Example Words for / ē /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for / ĕ /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for "i" Vowel Sound Patterns
Exception Words
Example Words for / ī /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for / ĭ /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for "o" Vowel Sound Patterns
Exception Words
Example Words for / ō /, and Related Sounds
Example Words for / ŏ /, and Related Sounds
/ ā /
ā
eigh /
ā
w e i g h
w eigh / w ā /
ā ā
e i g h eigh /
The man weighs 180 pounds.
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Book Details
About the Book
I have always enjoyed books and reading. I never understood why some of my friends found it so difficult to learn to read. Later, while I was teaching elementary school, I found that the reading system presented in the regular textbook was not working for some of my students. They didn’t learn the concepts involved in decoding words. Later, in an attempt to help a woman who had never been able to learn to read throughout her entire school career, I became involved in writing, visually decoding, and sounding letters and words, she began finding reading success for the first time. As I continued using my method, I taught using hearing, saying, writing the letters, visually decoding, and finally sounding the words. Students with the most severe language problems began learning, and those with milder problems improved rapidly. I have successfully used my method with students with many and varied learning problems, and with multiple texts. This book is organized in vowel sound patterns, with the vowels in the order they appear in the alphabet.
About the Author
In
elementary school, I already had plans to become an elementary school teacher.
When I discovered one of my new friends was having problems learning to read, I
appointed myself his official after school tutor. As I assisted him, I began my
education as a teacher.
In
1975, I graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk, Virginia, with a
B.A. degree, and certification to teach preschool through grade seven.
I
then became involved with many areas of education; finally, I decided to learn
more about persons with special learning needs. I graduated from Lynchburg
College with a master’s degree in teaching learning disabilities and emotional
disturbance.
Throughout
my entire career in education, I have successfully helped many students with
their reading problems.