Discover the Joy of Reading with the 1,2,3 and Away Series
Ortho-Graphix: Enhancing Speech, Language, and Communication with Technology
Targeting the Orthographic Lexicon: Building Brain Word Banks!
About Us
Our Mission at The Reading Hut
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At The Reading Hut, we're dedicated to transforming how children acquire language and literacy skills. Ortho-Graphix is our innovative response to the need for effective, technology-based learning tools in speech and language development, used by highly skilled teachers of phonics.
The Problem We Address
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Many children face challenges in developing essential speech, language, and reading skills. Our goal is to bridge this gap, offering a dynamic and engaging learning experience.
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Many skilled readers, tasked with teaching orthographic knowledge through phonics, are unaware of a crucial issue: orthographic interference.
Our Solution: Ortho-Graphix
Ortho-Graphix: Comprehensive, Neuro-Inclusive Learning Tools
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Ortho-Graphix stands out as a versatile and engaging tool for developing literacy. It uniquely blends technology with learning, allowing teachers to become aware of their orthographic interference, and children to become Speech Sound Mappers - proficient in speech sounds and graphemes, laying a strong foundation for reading and spelling.
Features and Benefits
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Interactive and Engaging Learning Designed for ALL Learners (skilled readers or are teaching phonics AND children)
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Focus on Speech, Language, and Communication Development
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Technology-Driven Approach Tailored to Individual Learner Needs using 'Phonemies' as Phonetic Symbols for Children
For Educators and Families
Empowering Learners and Guides
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Ortho-Graphix is designed to support educators and families in guiding children through their language learning journey. It provides an enriching 'early play-based intervention' experience that complements traditional learning methods used in schools.
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Ortho-Graphix is designed to screen phonics teacher Phoneme-Grapheme Awareness Proficiency and identify Orthographic Interference.
Success Stories
Speech Sound Mappers' Success
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Read about the exciting progress and breakthroughs of our Monster Mappers, who have embraced the Ortho-Graphix way of learning, demonstrating remarkable improvements in speech, language, and reading. Hear drastically improved speech speech articulation, and how quickly children start 'self-teaching' and reading books of their choice for pleasure.
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Hear from those teaching phonics, and learn how P-GAPS screening and subsequent Ortho-Graphix Award training and support have not only deepened orthographic knowledge but also boosted confidence in modelling the articulation of phonemes and identifying the learning gaps of children struggling with reading and spelling, both at home and in the classroom. In particular, their understanding of phonemic awareness deficits and dyslexia.
Get Involved
Partner with The Reading Hut
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We invite you to join our mission at The Reading Hut. Your support can help extend the reach of Ortho-Graphix, making a significant difference in the lives of children struggling with language and literacy."
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Interested in learning more or exploring partnerships? We'd love to hear from you. Support@TheReadingHut.com
Spelling Clouds®
Ortho-Graphix EdTech Solutions!
- A clickable online library which allows children to SEE the graphemes, HEAR the phonemes, and develop phonemic and orthographic awareness along the way - so they can say ‘I Can Read Without You!’ The library includess the 1,2,3 and Away! (Village with Three Corners) series.
- Speech Sound Monster Map and Drag - an online tool for children to use IPA-aligned fun characters to explore our Universal Written Code.
This also gives adults a fast way to learn about the IPA, phoneme articulation used when teaching phonics, and English orthography!
- Orthographic Mapping Tool. Type your text and SEE the grapheme markers!
Another world first, to make the written code VISIBLE.
Copy and Paste the Code Mapped text to further explore phoneme-grapheme correspondences
Overcoming Orthographic Interference for Teachers of Phonics
Join the OrthoGraphix Group: a support network for individuals delving into phoneme-grapheme mapping and orthographic interference through Ortho-Graphix training. This group is designed to enhance orthographic awareness among adults, regardless of the phonics program being utilised. Our mission is to better support the phonics learning journey of children. It's important to note that this is not a forum for discussing phonics teaching methodologies per se; rather, it focuses on improving YOUR orthographic awareness! https://www.facebook.com/groups/orthographix
Emma Hartnell-Baker, known as 'Miss Emma', has identified a gap in existing literature and is at the forefront of research by offering 'Overcoming Orthographic Interference' training. This groundbreaking training is specifically designed for teachers engaged in 'Building Brain Word Banks' (orthographic lexicon) through phonics teaching. It underscores the critical importance of teachers recognising, understanding, and addressing their own orthographic interference. By doing so, they significantly improve their capability to meet the diverse learning needs of neurodivergent students, especially those with dyslexia.
Enrol in the Ortho-Graphix Level 1 Award and train online! This course is ideal for parents, teachers, and tutors using any commercial phonics programme, equipping them with the necessary tools and insights to effectively support all learners. Support Group
Who is Emma Hartnell-Baker
aka The Neurodivergent Reading Whisperer?
Connect on LinkedIn
British-Australian Emma Hartnell-Baker is a late-diagnosed woman with Autism and ADHD, passionate about self-directed, play-based learning that celebrates and includes all learners. After creating the Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach in Australia, along with tech such as the SSP Spelling Piano app, she applied her insights about the education system, and its slow pace of change, to address the elements she identified as crucial in preventing children from speaking, reading, and spelling. As a way to improve teacher phoneme-grapheme awareness and ability to differentiate phonics instruction within the neurodiverse classroom setting innovative tech-solutions were developed.
Emma delivers SpLD training for PATOSS
Miss Emma has a Master's degree in SEND and is undertaking doctoral work at the University of Reading, developing the Phoneme-Grapheme Awareness Proficiency Screener (P-GAPS) for phonics teachers. This is to identify trainee teachers who, despite being proficient readers, may not fully understand how to effectively build the orthographic lexicons of children, particularly if those learners are neurodivergent. Orthographic interference* is identified and can be relatively easily overcome. This makes it easier to support students with dyslexia. For more information and to join the team, see the Ortho-Graphix Awards
*Orthographic interference effects are normal and unproblematic for students in advanced literacy acquisition (Schnitzler 2008). However, it is of immense, practical importance that primary school teachers are able to inhibit their orthographic knowledge for the purpose of correct diagnosis and support (cf., Schründer-Lenzen 2013, p. 28).
In basic terms, can you provide the expected phonemes when mapping the words 'village,' 'elephant,' 'story,' and 'giraffe'?
