While 'screening' is used to ascertain starting points in order to guide instruction, many factors can obscure a clear picture of existing knowledge and learning capacity. Even when we identify a child's starting point in mastering phonemic awareness, understanding how they learn is crucial for designing their learning journey. During our Screen and Intervene (SAI) process for phonemic awareness, we also teach the child something new to observe how quickly they learn it. Screening cannot be solely about what they know; it must also explore how they learn. At all times, we aim to identify each child's Sweet Spot, both during screening and subsequent intervention or acceleration phases.

 

Ortho-Graphix is a mindset, with educators utilising the 'speech sound mapping' learning system designed to provide a direct and correct route to understanding and forming words, aligning with the educational focus on phonemic and orthographic instruction.

Speech Sound Mapping is the way we explore new words! Phonemies simplify the process by making the connections between phonemes and letters visible, thereby facilitating orthographic knowledge.

The reason for focusing on phonemic awareness is that children who start school with this skill are far less likely to struggle with developing orthographic knowledge as they learn to read and spell, regardless of teacher skill or beliefs, or school programs. Consequently, children with good phonemic awareness can reach the stage of 'orthographic mapping' (reading words at an incredibly fast speed, without conscious effort) regardless of the instruction. Phonemic awareness allows this to happen. In England, children are taught using synthetic phonics programs, which is the mandatory approach for state-maintained schools. However, children cannot learn phonics without phonemic awareness and the programs vary with regard to how much phonemic awareness is the focus, or how taught. Testing their phonics skills is like testing a child's running times without first checking if they have stones in their shoes. The speed may not indicate what is hindering them from running as fast as they can and does not focus on the bigger picture. Running coaches may not be aware of the stones. Our screening checks everything, because Emma Hartnell-Baker takes a 'big picture' approach, which centres around each individual and their needs.
 
She also trains others to do this!  Ask about teacher training.