The Sound Way
FAQs
If you have a question, you're in the right place. Below are answers to commonly asked questions by our customers. If you can't find an answer to your question, please contact us.
Will The Sound Way work for my children and me?
Is The Sound Way effective with adults?
Does The Sound Way work with those who have English as a Second Language (ESL)?
Who are best suited for The Sound Way programmes?
Is The Sound Way effective for those with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc?
What does the latest Worldwide literacy research reveal?
How does The Sound Way line up with the latest literacy research?
How easy is The Sound Way to implement?
How long does The Sound Way take to complete?
What is The Sound Way value and what does the programme cost?
What is The Sound Way comprised of?
Will The Sound Way work for my children and me?
Yes! Experts agree phonics is the most effective method of reading instruction. Now our long proven, systematic approach to teaching phonics is available for all ages. The Sound Way programmes are the only interactive face-to-face DVD teaching programmes that teach advanced phonics skills, combining and integrating this knowledge with the rules of English spelling and thereby equipping students with the tools necessary to become independent learners, able to manage future studies and courses for themselves.
Whether your child is a six-year-old above average reader, a 17-year-old struggling with spelling and reading problems, or a mature 65-year-old adult; this programme is designed to provide them with the advanced phonetical skills and knowledge that will allow them to unlock almost any word in the English language.
Is The Sound Way effective with adults?
Yes, the senior programme works extremely well with adult learners. Poor reading and spelling skills are more indicative of poor teaching strategies being employed in the past, than they are of any individual's personal intelligence - Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill being prime examples of highly intelligent people who had struggles learning to read and write. The Sound Way works powerfully well for all – regardless of age or past learning experiences.
Does The Sound Way work with those who have English as a Second Language (ESL)?
Emphatically yes! Used around the world, The Sound Way programmes fast-track clear speaking and enunciation of English words, while at the same time imparting, developing and giving practice in the important skills of English spelling, writing and reading. (See ‘International ESL Programmes)
What results can I expect?
Internationally recognized standardized testing records an on-average improvement of two to three years in reading proficiency skills in a 10-12 week period, whether using the Junior or Senior programmes. Older and more mature students have recorded improvements of up to eight years in their reading ability and six years in their spelling ability in one term.
Some younger children have recorded increases of up to six years in their reading ability and four years in their spelling ability in a 15-week timeframe. (See Testimonials)
Who are best suited for The Sound Way programmes?
- All mainstream primary school children –regardless of current age or ability level.
- Remedial primary school children - including those diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other learning disabilities.
- Remedial secondary school students and all secondary students whose testing on a Standardized Spelling Test shows them to be more than one year below their chronological age. (See Free Tests on the Home page menu)
- TAFE and VET students sorely in need of improved literacy skills.
- Adults in the workplace in need of improved literacy skills.
- International students studying overseas and having to use English as a Second Language (ESL).
Is The Sound Way effective for those with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, etc?
Yes, powerfully so!!! The Sound Way produces exciting and impressive results with children and adults diagnosed with these learning disorders. The programmes provide the added benefit of a positive change and improvement in the participants’ self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence; which many teachers have reported are bringing major behavioural changes within their classrooms.
What does the latest worldwide literacy research reveal?
AUSTRALIA – National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy 2005
“The evidence is clear, whether from research, good practice observed in schools, advice from submissions to the Inquiry, consultations, or from Committee members' own individual experiences, that direct systematic instruction in phonics during the early years of schooling is an essential foundation for teaching children to read. Findings from the research evidence indicate that all students learn best when teachers adopt an integrated approach to reading that explicitly teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary knowledge and comprehension.” (Australian National Enquiry into the Teaching of Literacy – December 2005)
U.S.A – National Reading Panel Report 2000
The largest ever review of research on how best to teach people to read, write and spell, commissioned by the United States Congress, was made public in April 2000.
This research cost almost two billion dollars and involved 18 research centres - including Harvard and Yale. The U.S. National Reading Panel Report concluded that the evidence was clear-cut to support the systematic and structured teaching of phonics to teach reading, writing and spelling, and that this methodology should be reintroduced and incorporated into the curriculum of every school immediately. The report further concluded that this teaching should be multi-sensory, sequentially developed and cumulative.
The National Reading Panel's findings confirmed ten years of research carried out by neuroscientist and paediatrics professor Sally Shaywitz, at Yale University . Her longitudinal study, which incorporated the latest fMRI technology, graphically illustrated and showed that the brain reads sound by sound; that is phonetically!
Ref. http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org
UK – Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading 2005
“Speaking and listening, together with reading and writing, are prime communication skills that are central to children's intellectual, social and emotional development. All these skills are drawn upon and promoted by high quality, systematic phonic work.”
UK – Executive Summary, Rose Review of Reading – March 2006
Ref: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/phonics/rosereview
How does The Sound Way line up with the latest literacy research?
Since 1994, the attributes of the types of programmes now recommended by Australian, UK and US reports have been found and exhibited in The Sound Way's Junior and Senior programmes.
- Phonic based – The Sound Way teaches all 45 sounds of the English language (phonemes) and the 75 ways of representing these sounds on paper (phonograms).
- Multisensory - Uses all four of the possible learning avenues into the brain. Students – HEAR-the sounds, -SAY-the sounds, -WRITE-the sounds, - READ-the sounds.
- Structured – The Sound Way provides step-by-step “direct instruction” teaching and modelling via the video teacher to the students, so that students are able to work independently in companion workbooks, applying their logic and reason to produce and write words from their sounds and the spelling rules that relate to them.
- Sequentially Developed – The Sound Way starts students with the simple and progressively develops them to the more complex - from words like "go" and "at"; to words like "proficiency" and "excellence".
- Cumulative - The sequential development of the body of knowledge contained in The Sound Way programme leaves the students equipped with a full understanding and working knowledge of the structure of English words; thereby enabling them to become independent learners and capable of embracing any new educational venture that may come their way.
How easy is The Sound Way to implement?
Home Programmes:
It's actually very easy! The Sound Way Home Programme DVD lessons contain all the necessary instructions for a home learner to successfully complete the programme. Even though most of these instructions are embedded in the DVDs themselves, a Home User Instruction Guide is also included with the package. Parents don’t need to pre-learn any material or part of the programme before their children can commence. The Instruction Guide deals with matters such as how frequently lessons should be done and ways in which parents can be more supportive and encouraging when overseeing younger children's progress. Relax!!All of the required teaching elements of the programme are done by the video teacher, so you can relax!
School, College and Workplace Programmes:
The 12-hour DVD Teacher/Facilitator Training Course, along with the Teacher/Facilitator Instruction Manual accompanying the School, College and Workplace programmes make it extremely easy to implement. The programme only requires a committed and motivated facilitator. This person does not necessarily have to be an accredited teacher.
Who developed The Sound Way and why?
The Sound Way was developed by Craig Henderson. Craig is a highly qualified Australian trainer and teacher who began his career back in the early 1970's. Since 1988 his career has been devoted to researching, developing, producing and refining the optimal approach to teaching the fundamental skills of English reading, writing and spelling. His research commenced in 1988, upon observing a major decline in the literacy standards of Australian and overseas students. Deciding there must be a more effective and efficient way to teach these fundamental language skills, Craig ventured out, embarking upon a worldwide search to find answers and a solution to solve this most serious of problems. After years of painstaking research and development his answers finally came. These answers are now clearly documented, presented and made available to the world through the ground-breaking DVD series, The Sound Way.
In 1994, Craig produced the first video version of The Sound Way to Spelling, Writing and Reading programme. Within two years of being released The Sound Way was receiving national acclaim with schools receiving major National Literacy Awards; its dramatic effect on students’ literacy abilities being repeatedly featured on national television. Thousands upon thousands of lives are continuing to be changed, and the reputation and success of the programme continues to grow, both internationally, as well as at home in Australia.
Craig has 37 years of educational experience, qualifications in teacher-training from the USA and Australia, as well as a Certificate in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language from Cambridge University and the Royal Society of Arts. In 1996 his courses were awarded both State and National Accreditation status by the Skills Standard and Accreditation Board of Western Australia; now the Training Accreditation Council of Western Australia.
Married since 1973, Craig and his wife Maria have three adult children and four grandchildren.
How long does The Sound Way take to complete?
SENIOR PROGRAM
In Homes: 12 Weeks - requiring less than 4 hours per week, completing three lessons per week.
In Schools: 10 Weeks - requiring 1½ hours per day; completing 5 lessons per week including Workshop Book 2. and the 10 Minute Daily Sentence Construction Exercise. Alternatively, 7 weeks - requiring 75 min. per day with no cursive writing practice or Daily Sentence Construction Exercises. (Strongly recommend the 10 Week Timetable)
RTOs and VET Centres: 5 Week Timetable – requiring two 1½ hour lessons to be completed per day, Mon. - Fri.
10 Week Timetable requiring one 1½ hour lesson to be completed per day, Mon. – Fri.
*All of the above can be adapted to suit circumstances.*
JUNIOR PROGRAM
In Homes: 18 weeks requiring approx 3 hours per week, completing three lessons per week.
In Schools: 11 weeks requiring approx. 1¼ hours per day, completing 5 lessons per week including Sentence Construction Exercise.
What is The Sound Way 's value and what does the programme cost?
In Homes: Most people are prepared to invest $2500 in a programme that claims it can deliver the results they desperately need and want; a fortunate few can invest over $5000 in the hope of getting their children’s or their own needs met; The Sound Way guarantees to deliver those desired results and much more, right in your own home for AUD $980, including GST.
In Schools, Colleges and Workplace Programmes:
For the varying details involved in obtaining a Sound Way Site Licence to enable you to deliver the programme in your region or site, please email enquires@thesoundway.com.au or phone +61 8 9443 7708.
ESL. Centre’s and International Enquires:
For the varying intricacies involved in obtaining International Sound Way Licences please email enquires@thesoundway.com.au or phone +61 8 9443 7708 for details.
What do The Sound Way programmes comprise of?
HOME PROGRAMMES
- Sound Way Home Licence. Licence for use in one (1) home, with its family and members working strictly in authorized Sound Way Manuals and Workshop Books.
- A complete Senior Sound Way Home Programme set of 36 x 40-minute DVD teaching lessons; or, a complete Junior Sound Way Home Programme set of 53 x 40-minute DVD teaching lessons.
- A Sound Way Home User Guide and Instructions.
- One Sound Way Student Manual (approx 100 pages).
- One Sound Way Workshop Book 1 (approx 100 pages).
- One Sound Way Audio Phonic Practice CD.
SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND WORKPLACE PROGRAMMES
- A single Sound Way Site Licence authorizing multiple student use of the programme at the licenced site by students working strictly only in authorized Sound Way Manuals and Sound Way Workshop Books.
- A complete Senior Sound Way School Programme set of 36 x 40-minute DVD teaching lessons; or, a complete Junior Sound Way School Programme set of 53 x 40-minute DVD teaching lessons.
- One Sound Way Teacher/Facilitator Instrucion Manual.
- One Sound Way Student Manual (approximately 100 pages).
- One Sound Way Workshop Book 1 (approximately 100 pages).
- One Sound Way Workshop Book 2 (Senior Prog. - approximately 100 pages).
- One set of Sound Way Phonic Wall Charts.
- One set of Sound Way Phonic Practice Cards.
- One Sound Way Audio Phonic Practice CD.