Clear Sounds

Here’s a page from the ThatReadingThing manual:

Saying Sounds Clearly

From this point on, I want you to think in sounds rather than letter names. Most of us are used to spelling in letter names.  How do you spell “stop”?  ‘ess tee oh pee’
Instead, I want you to get used to thinking of the sounds in the words and how you spell those sounds. So the question becomes, what are the sounds in “stop”?
Answer: (say it) “sss” (like a snake) “t” (touch you tongue to the front of your mouth) “o” (as in top) “p” (like you’re blowing out a candle). For the first while, it might help to whisper these sounds so that they are as clean and clear as possible.

“ay bee see dee ee eff gee”

This is the traditional alphabet that most adults use to refer to the symbols that we write to represent sounds. Older students use them naturally so it’s up to you to make sure they are not thinking in letter names as they write. If they are thinking in letter names then they are not learning to use sounds but relying on their faulty memory strategies. memory = ‘Goat is spelt gee oe ay tee’ Sound strategy = ‘The sounds in “goat” are “g” “oe” “t”. We spell it (writing & saying the sounds) g oa t’

“a buh cuh duh e fuh guh huh”

This alphabet is meant to help small children “sound out” simple words. However, the added “uh” sound can be very confusing.
Say: suh tuh o puh Now say the sounds clearly like you did at the top of the page. Which one sounds more like the real word, ‘stop’?

The other problem with this system is that it is only useful for very simple words.
My son came home from his first day in an English school and said, ’I can spell my name the English way! cuh huh a ruh luh e suh’

He was very excited but I was dismayed. What’s his name and what are the sounds?

Clear sounds

As far as possible, leave off the “uh” from the sounds.

Sometimes it’s easy: “m” (humm) “n” (nno!) “s” (hiss) “z” (buzz)

Sometimes it’s difficult: “l” “r” “w” and “y” require a little sound either before or after.

In all of these, keep the “uh” as short as possible.
For all the rest, cut off the “uh” sound for easier blending and segmenting.

Keep asking yourself, “Does that sound like the word?”