An enlightening experience. Thank you.

Very interesting but mind boggling! Looking forward to trying it in the classroom.

The course has really been enlightening. One has learnt that handwriting, spelling and reading are linked. It was extremely thorough and thought provoking. This gives me a different dimension on how to teach. Well done.

Interesting. Looking forward to starting.

I enjoyed the course! Great ideas! I believe that the teacher will have to be prepared and know exactly where he/she is and where you’re going before you’ll try and attempt this new methodology with the pupils.

Definitely a paradigm shift! I would like to know how your weaker learners will benefit from this system though, keeping in mind that they are part of a class. The teaching manual is user friendly. Thank you for being friendly and helpful.

Very interesting course. Good ideas. Can see how it could assist learners with learning difficulties. A lot of content to have to take in! Would have liked even more practical examples for each stage – discuss exciting ways to teach it to children – different games etc.

Great potential! I like the idea of giving children the various choices and the analytical method of teaching handwriting, spelling and reading. A concern I do have is whether the children who have a visual memory problem will cope or "pick up" more spelling problems. The interactive methods, computer, music, books, movement will definitely get the attention of most learners!

The course has great potential. We were given a lot of theory. It would have been more beneficial if we could have had a practical class demo/presentation.

A worthwhile methodology, but not sure how to implement it in the classroom. Have no idea where to start. Don’t think 2 days has been enough to put THRASS into practice.

I would have liked to have seen more classroom implementation – possibly videos of classes in progress. I felt too much time was devoted to the actual charts – probably necessary for teachers but well known by therapists. This is a more formalised version of the way I already teach phonics to children with auditory processing/reading/spelling difficulties. Comforting to have clarification of my methods. Thank You.

The material is very visual and has potential. I feel like I need more training as how to implement this in the classroom at a senior primary level. How much time should be set aside for formal THRASS training?

The principle is sound, but would like to see results before implementing it fully. I think it can be used in conjunction with existing concepts.

Informative and interesting. More hands on or even a video of actual lessons in a classroom would help. Need more "how to" as well as theory.

It was an intense two days, yet I feel I have gained a great insight into what THRASS is all about, as well as what it will offer our school across the board. There was quite a lot to remember, but given time, it will, no doubt, stick! Thanks for a very interesting course. Keep up the good work.

Found the content exciting but not 100% sure about implementation.

I found the content very interesting and worthwhile – suddenly spelling becomes more explicable. However, there will always be exceptions – after all, this is English. The course is quite intense and requires a lot of concentration. If it were possible to workshop more of the ideas, it would probably keep people’s attention for longer. Otherwise, well done – a phenomenal breakthrough!

I do see the value in grouping different spellings that sound the same together. However, I am still unsure of how to actually implement it. It seems to be a methodology of analysing words and where they fit on the picture chart rather than actually using the picture chart to assist in spelling. Unsure whether I am convinced.

Now it all makes sense! Thorough and so logical! Well done and thank you!

Some lovely ideas. A good idea to have spelling choices on one chart.

An excellent overall presentation. I do think working in a smaller group would facilitate better interaction. Seeing THRASS in action in a school gave me huge insight and awareness of THRASS being implemented in a school. Teachers are so often afraid of change. I would advise schools to visit schools where THRASS is in place and visit the website prior to training! I can’t wait to start!

Extremely informative. A great deal to absorb. I enjoyed it very much. We will definitely use this system and will find lots of ways to use the equipment. The only negative thing, it isn’t as visually fun as the other systems and there aren’t lovely (Nursery School related) stories attached to them – we will create our own. I think the chart could also be colourful to attract young children.

I have always wanted to implement a "Sound Family Programme" within a sequential framework. I have found my own adaptation of Sound Families, as a Remedial Therapist, very successful and this particular methodology has convinced me that children need to learn within a sequenced/structured framework. Many thanks for your practical explanations. I look forward to working with you in implementing THRASS at our school.

The THRASS concept is a good one. There needs to be more practical advice on how to implement THRASS. The teachers need to be involved in the training exercises!

The idea and concepts seem good, but I would have liked a more in depth discussion and demonstration on how it could be implemented in the classroom. I feel some areas are quite complicated and require a great deal of consolidation before I can implement them into a classroom.

Exciting, but also confusing. Learnt a fair amount – especially that consonants and vowels have different sounds and spelling words using the names of letters. Enjoyable – especially the rap!

Very interesting new concept. I enjoyed the course and found the motivation behind teaching this new way of learning how to read, write and spell exciting, but daunting. A lot to get your head around, but definitely would like to try!

I find it very inspiring and feel it would be most beneficial to use in the one-to-one situation. The picture chart could be coloured as colour always stands out in the game and puzzle. The laminated wall chart is not easy to see. The lecturer made it very easy to understand and the course was very well presented. Thank you.

Interesting, intensive. Food for thought. Can see merits. First day more basic. Second day very intensive. Feel I may need another follow up in certain areas.

On the whole I have thoroughly enjoyed the course. I think that the course was presented extremely well – thorough, comprehensive and interesting. It made sense of what I had previously considered to be a complex, confusing methodology. I am impressed by the THRASS approach and think that many of its valuable attributes are indisputable. However, I do feel that it has to be assessed critically and for a child with phonological deficits, it would not be the best approach.

Love the systematic approach. Feel that it lacks visual appeal, especially for Grade 0 (Children love brightness and fun characters in Letterland). Not sure how to implement the programme – i.e. starting point. As a methodology – Brilliant! Biggest concern – it’s dull/academic for little ones.

I find the charts most useful and would gladly use them in the classroom. The rap can be confusing because of the different starting points. The continuous repetition may cause boredom with the "brighter" learners. Overall the charts and teaching tiles most valuable! Thank You!

The picturechart is invaluable. It would be most useful, I think, if the interactive computer programme could use a variety of words that are not on the chart. This would enable the pupils to test their knowledge, as the pupils with good visual memories will remember those words anyway once they have seen them and rapped with them so often. The workshop has given us a lot to think about and consider – thank you!

I found that I view phonics in a different way now and realise that some of the methods used for teaching are "somewhat" incorrect. The picture chart would be very useful in class. I think with the way that we as teachers have been taught phonics, makes THRASS confusing in ways, and the way we would break down words to slot into the various "houses".

Some great concepts, but I do believe there are other programmes that are in use, that are just as good. Lots of repetition of words which can become boring. I believe this course could have been presented in one day.

The course could have been covered in a couple of hours rather than 2 days. There was a lot of repetition and I do not think it is necessary for adults to constantly go through all the raps. I see merit in teaching pupils that one letter doesn’t make one sound. I believe the pupils will soon realise the correct sound box, however, this system does not enable them to choose the correct spelling. It is still down to old fashioned family lists and visual memory. Questions that were posed were not answered, instead, the old system was attacked instead of explaining how this system is better-able to assist us with problems from the past. We are educated professionals who do not need to be exposed to the "guilt" factor of advertising – i.e. parents will question why some schools are using the system and not yours! You are enthusiastic and there is merit to the system. Thank you for your time and effort.

The letter groupings introduced through THRASS will be useful. The charts are handy in placing these letters. Perhaps the references to the "old system" could validate that some of the prior ideas did work and are similar in fact to THRASS. Thank you for trying to answer all our questions! I have a better understanding of grammar terminology!

I think there are some very valuable components to THRASS and I am very pleased I have been exposed to them. However, part of our jobs as educationalists is to question different methodologies in order to make educated decisions regarding how to teach reading, spelling and writing. I experienced you to be very defensive when challenged and didn’t feel the emotional blackmail was professional or appropriate.

A good course, Thank you. Nice running on time and attending a very well-organised course. I have been implementing the THRASS technique in therapy. The children have responded very well to it. I have enjoyed having my knowledge extended and enriched, thank you.

Excellent course. It makes a lot of sense for additional (second) language instruction. When dealing with learners with specific learning (language developmental) problems, certain adaptations will have to be made. I think all the Afrikaans schools should be exposed to this method.