"On a mission to inspire every child to read, learn, and find joy in books. To achieve this, we must stop making learning to read so difficult for so many."

Phonemic awareness (PA) is a crucial skill at the beginning of a child's school journey, involving the ability to identify, separate, and blend individual sounds in words. It is regarded as the strongest indicator of future reading success, surpassing even intelligence (NRP, 2000). The International Dyslexia Association points out that children with low PA, a common issue among dyslexic learners, often have trouble with letter-sound associations, leading to reading difficulties.

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The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) pre-school framework sets learning benchmarks that include the necessity for clear PA instruction before starting school. However, screening young children for PA can be challenging, especially in assessing if pre-verbal children can recognise and combine speech sounds accurately. Teachers may postpone evaluation until children can articulate sounds or start learning phonics, which can delay effective diagnosis, data collection, and instructional planning. The Department for Education (DfE, 2018) reports that one in four children begin school lacking PA, indicating a significant gap between expectations and reality.

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Emma Hartnell-Baker, who is neurodivergent and has a distinguished career as a nursery owner rated 'Outstanding,' OFSTED Inspector, and SpLD specialist teacher trainer, is also a doctoral student researching PA. She provides personalised screening and intervention using an innovative method called 'Phonemies.' These are engaging characters aligned with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) but not connected to phonics, used in the Innovate UK-funded project MySpeekie, a communication device she developed for non-verbal autistic children aged 2-4.

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Studies reveal that many adults are unsure how to effectively teach Phonemic Awareness (Castles, Rastle, & Nation, 2018). Miss Emma’s one-on-one 'screen and intervene' programme (Phonemic Awareness Mastery) has proven successful for neurodivergent learners, including those with speech issues, over several years. Phonemies have a global application as they function as a 'Universal Spelling Code' (Dehaene, 2012).

This potentially ground-breaking 'Immunisation Against Illiteracy' initiative aims to enable local and national screening, providing valuable data that is currently lacking. Our mission is to eliminate illiteracy in England by ensuring every 3-year-old is equipped with PA. By introducing MyWordz to homes, nurseries, and schools, we aim to cultivate a passion for spelling and lifelong love of reading among ALL children.