Linking Speech Sound and Printed Symbol
Learning to read involves recognizing the printed symbols for words.
Children learn to read printed text in a number of ways. Words
instantly recognized are part of the child's sight vocabulary.
The context in which a word is found can contribute to one's
ability to recognize certain words, such as the word stop on a stop
sign. Instruction in the acquisition of sight vocabulary and
contextual-clue recognition is an essential component of any reading
program.
A third vital component of reading instruction is phonetic
analysis. In order to grasp the fundamentals of the reading
process, children must learn that printed letters represent speech
sounds. Phonics instruction involves teaching the relationship
between printed letters and the speech sounds they represent.
Of the three interrelated reading skills - sight vocabulary,
contextual clues, and phonetic analysis - the latter is frequently
the most difficult for children to master, primarily because
learning letter-sound relationships is totally different from the
child's previous life experiences.
Additional difficulties stem from the fact that letter shapes are
arbitrary and abstract. There is no logical relationship between
the appearance of the letter and the sound it represents - no
inherent clues to assist the child in remembering the associated
sound.
The GOAL of the signing strategy is to provide a tool to assist
the reader in linking the speech sound and printed symbol.
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Direct Benefits to Children
- Tucker Signs build an instant bridge between the printed symbols and speech.
- Children can quickly learn the signs and get immediate gratification.
- Transfers to all reading, writing and spelling to build confidence and boost performance.
- Children discontinue using the signs once they have mastered the decoding process.
Testimonials from Parents
My 12-year old has severe disabilities in reading, writing, and math.
After a few days with Bethanie (about 4 hours total), my son enjoyed
learning the signing strategies for reading. During the 6-hour drive
home, he was decoding and reading everything in sight. He was so
confident and proud! I have never seen him so happy. -Parent,
Frederick, Maryland
Until yesterday my son could only read a few sight words. Then Dr.
Tucker worked with him, and he was reading the word "shirt" within five
minutes. Two days ago he had no concept of decoding words like "March"
or "shower". Now he's reading them. What can I say? It's a miracle.
-Mother of 17-year old son with autism, Springdale, Arkansas
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