Word Mapping Mastery®
"Show the Spelling Code!"
Exciting News! The Free Early Dyslexia Screening Centre has now opened in Dorset, with more planned nationwide.
Let’s support NeuroReadies: different learning needs different teaching. Tutor Course Speedie Readies: Preventing the Dyslexia Paradox
The Neurodivergent Reading Whisperer® has created a set of Phonemies: IPA-aligned Speech Sound Monsters® that show the sound value of each grapheme. The graphemes are displayed using the Code Mapping® Tool, making the whole code visible and accelerating Word Mapping Mastery® for all.
Many children can learn to read and spell without working through grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences eg s a t p i n and can start on the 1,2,3 and Away! pre-readers as soon as they have finished the 10 day Speech Sound Play Plan.
What are Phonemies?
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a standardised system for representing the sounds of spoken language. It uses symbols to represent each distinct speech sound (phoneme) in all languages, allowing for accurate pronunciation regardless of spelling.
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Each symbol corresponds to a single sound, avoiding the inconsistencies of written language.
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It is widely used in linguistics, language teaching, speech therapy, and phonetic transcription.
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In English, the IPA helps clarify pronunciation, particularly for words with unpredictable spelling patterns. It is often used by those learning English as an additional language to ensure accurate pronunciation eg via tophonetics.com.
Phonemies are used in place of phonetic symbols to show children the phoneme value of grapheme-to-phoneme or phoneme-to-grapheme correspondences
Unlocking Phonics for NeuroReadies: How Phonemies Make the Code Visible
Code Mapping® makes the written code visible, showing the Sound Pics® (graphemes), while Monster Mapping® reveals the speech sounds (phonemes) with Phonemies—the Speech Sound Monsters®.
We are SEN experts and specialists in linguistic and neurodiversity—advocating for personalised learning and celebrating the diversity of language and minds. 1 in 4 children won’t master phonics without Phonemies—Visible Phonics from The Reading Hut®
Speech Sound Mapping with Phonemies!
Can you see why so many SALTs use Phonemies to support their
Speech and Language Therapy!
School based speechies have been using them in Australia for years now!
Phonemies Show the Code!
All three elements matter!
The speech sounds, the Sound Pics®, and the meaning must all be connected to become stored in the orthographic lexicon for instant recognition when reading and effortless retrieval when writing.
When you map words with children or SHOW them mapped words—e.g., in the Chants—you soon realise if any bits are missing!
Avery HEARD the word hill and saw the Phonemies (sound value) and the Sound Pics (graphemes). He thought heal was the same word because of his accent. Without a visual representation in his 'brain word bank' he doesn't know the difference, even if he explores the meaning of the word. When you map words this way, you are addressing linguistic and neurodiversity every day! Children will discover so much about speech, the written code, and vocabulary! And you will be guided by them—figuring out what they need, when they need it.
Loved this clip!!
Word Mappping Mastery®: All Spelling Choices for Every English Speech Sound in 90-Second Clips!
MySpeekie®: Self Directed Word Mapping
Designed by The Neurodivergent Reading Whisperer®
The MySpeekie feature in the MyWordz® technology enables children to type in Phonemies (Speech Sound Monsters®), and the corresponding word appears and can be voiced.
Non-speaking children can use this to communicate—their words are voiced—with no knowledge of reading and spelling required; they just need to learn to use the keyboard. They do this really quickly, as it's so much fun.
Children at risk of dyslexia can use MySpeekie to address underlying phonemic awareness issues and store words in the orthographic lexicon (brain word bank) in ways that rewire the brain for literacy.
Children learning to read and spell can also use it to see how words are spelled!
Phonemies offer a powerful way to enhance your synthetic phonics instruction, supporting word mapping for GPCs beyond those explicitly taught in the programme.
They empower children to independently discover how ANY word is mapped and figure out how they are spelt, embracing linguistic and neurodiversity.
They love the freedom to SEE the concepts behind decoding and encoding—often confusing due to English’s opaque orthography—while teachers gain more time to focus on vocabulary, comprehension, and building relationships!
Word Mapping: How Phonemies Make the WHOLE Code Visible
Did you know that commercial phonics programmes typically teach only around 100 grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences, with approximately 85 tested in the Phonics Screening Check (PSC)? Yet, skilled readers navigate over 350 correspondences. You can see these in the Spelling Clouds, which are always available as a reference for children. However, they will only be explicitly taught the ones positioned on the outer edges.
To ensure clarity in terminology, we will refer to 'irregular words' as those that contain at least one grapheme-phoneme correspondence (GPC) not explicitly taught in phonics programmes.
For example, in the sentence:
"The village is as pretty as a picture."
There are at least five GPCs not tested in the PSC or covered in standard phonics instruction.
5 GPCs in the sentence "The village is as pretty as a picture" that are not explicitly taught in the PSC:
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e → /ə/ (the schwa in the)
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a → /ɪ/ (the a in village)
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e → /ɪ/ (the e in pretty)
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t → /ʧ/ (the t in picture)
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ge → /ʤ/ (the ge in village)
Children may not be able to decode the words as they may not know the GPCs.
Phonemies will be used to visually highlight these missing correspondences, in ANY words, supporting children in both directions—decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling). They can do this independently, at any time.
Code Mapping® makes the written code visible, showing the Sound Pics® (graphemes), while Monster Mapping® reveals the speech sounds (phonemes) with Phonemies—the Speech Sound Monsters®.
We are SEN experts and specialists in linguistic and neurodiversity—advocating for personalised learning and celebrating the diversity of language and minds. 1 in 4 children won’t master phonics without Phonemies—Visible Phonics from The Reading Hut®
Sounds First Phonics: Speech Sound Mapping works better for all!
An opaque orthography is a writing system where the relationship between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters or letter combinations) can seem unpredictable (it is actually far more consistent than you might think, once you start mapping words! Unlike transparent orthographies, where each sound corresponds reliably to one spelling, English has a highly opaque orthography. This is why English is to difficult to learn, and Finnish is easy: each letter represents a single, consistent sound. For example, the letter a is always pronounced the same way. In English the grapheme 'a' maps to nine different phonemes across different words!
So graphemes map to several different sounds ...
Speech sounds map to different 'Sound Pics' - graphemes!
For example, the phoneme /s/ maps to 14 different graphemes in different spelling contexts.
This complexity makes it difficult for learners to predict how a word is spelled based on its pronunciation or how a written word should be pronounced. It is vital that they store words in the orthographic lexicon. To do this they need to the speech sounds, spelling and meaning to be 'glued' together.
When we show the whole word, segmented to highlight the graphemes and the Phonemies, we must also ensure that children know what the word is. However, when words are mapped, they can see correspondences that would otherwise be difficult to figure out, even if they already know the word. With good phonemic awareness and phonological working memory, they find this process easy and can then focus on meaning.For young children, the puzzle of figuring out a word is often the reward. This is why hyperlexic children—who teach themselves to read without instruction—can lose interest in reading once they have mastered it. The fun was in figuring out how it all fits. Autistic and ADHD children, in particular, are fantastic pattern seekers.
A range of factors make mapping phonemes to graphemes difficult when the code is not made visible. Phonemies help make complex concepts far easier to understand—even for toddlers. Some of these concepts aren’t even considered by skilled readers! 🙂 You can’t teach (or guide children to see) concepts you are unaware of.
Over 85% of the children in Reception, in the schools I support, can read and spell over 400 high-frequency words. Many of these words are considered ‘irregular’ because they contain at least one GPC that is not explicitly taught. Additionally, many include GPCs the child has not yet learned within the four code levels but will encounter later. This is because they are learning them with our tech, and not a human. All children can learn at their pace.
If the Phonemies were not there Spencer would struggle to understand
- at age 3 - that the /s/ and the /c/ both represent the same phoneme in his name.
Lara would struggle to understand the /a/ in her name maps with two different sounds (and neither are the one in 'ant')
This is why the Phonemies do not link with a letter. The letter/s that will map to it aren't known until in a word.
eg The /g/ could map with /ʤ/ - giant - or /g/ - green!
Student quote after we used the MyWordz tech 'Mrs Waters that new program is impressive it should be on all computers.' It will help everyone check the words they get stuck on.' Year Two student.
Web Version: MyWordz.tech - Yearly Subscription £95 - Currently Special Offer £75!!
Order as many app licences as you want as a member for £5.75
One-Off Payment of £134.75 in the app stores!
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mywordz-with-myspeekie/id6737770129
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thereadinghut.mywordz
Download the MyWordz® with MySpeekie® app – one-time payment of £134.99 – use across devices with your Apple or Google Play account.
Subscribe to the web version – log in at MyWordz.tech to use on any laptop or device through the website. 1 login: £95 per year.
Bonus! As a subscriber, you can purchase app licences for £5.75 per app.
Purchase within your MyWordz® account, and you will receive a code to redeem when you download MyWordz® for Members from the App Store or Google Play. A link is provided within your account.
Simply renew or cancel your web site login subscription every 12 months.
Current Special Introductory Price – £75 per year!
Australian schools can request to order the web version via purchase order and pay an Aussie business with an ABN (GST applies). Email Play@MyWordz.com for details.
Word Mapping Mastery!
"It Just Makes Sense!"
