The Reading Hut®
"On a mission to inspire every child to read, learn, and find joy in words. To achieve this, we must stop making learning to map words so difficult for so many."
Embracing Autistic Minds
We have applied for funding to roll out screening at age 2, before children learn phonics, and then again before school entry, to identify those most at risk of struggling in a classroom with synthetic phonics instruction. By intervening early, we can provide support. This gives us at least 18 months to assist at-risk children and their families before they start KS1. This early intervention is particularly important for autistic children. The existing system holds them back.
​
Using my new one-screen AAC device and others, we flip phonics so that autistic children can learn to read. Being non-speaking or pre-verbal isn’t a barrier. MySpeekie (Innovate UK funded) is designed to be neuro-inclusive and neuro-affirming. Unfortunately, very few SENCOs have been shown how to teach autistic pupils to read. Most of the children are reading by the time they start school, as the early ‘screen and intervene’ method resonates with them. Our pattern-seeking brains prefer direct and visual methods over ‘what sound does this letter make’ programs.
We understand how likely our children are to be failed by the traditional environment, so we need to intervene much earlier, especially in bridging the gap between spoken and written English.
More here soon.
Emma Hartnell-Baker,
The Neurodivergent Reading Whisperer
Autistic children and those with ADHD find this way of learning exciting.
They WANT to read!
They become 'readies'
Alf is now doing so well, and has great phonemic awareness!
This means he can map words with ease.
The only word Alf asked for help with here was he, and this was because he had been told for such a long time, while learning with a synthetic phonics programme, that the letter e "says eh" (as in end), which confused his ability to navigate the letters and sounds. Afterwards, he explored the word using the Word Mapping Mastery® tech and completed the spelling routine.
He printed off this word to add to his folder, and we would check it in a week or so.
Phonemes have unlocked language and literacy learning for young people with learning differences. Up to that point, these gorgeous teens had been failed in so many ways, but when their teachers knew more, they could offer them more. They still send me 'monster messages' :-)
Oops some of the monsters are wrong here. Naughty Speech Sound Frog