The THRASS synthetic phonics programme is widely accepted as
having the potential to more than double the normal rate of
progress for reading and spelling in English, and soon it
will also be possible to use synthetic phonics to teach deaf
children through a new Cued Speech version of the
groundbreaking THRASS Phoneme Machine software.
The THRASS Phoneme Machine, which uses moving human lips
to pronounce the sounds (phonemes) in hundreds of frequently
used English words, is a key component of the THRASS
(Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills) programme
pioneered by British Educational Psychologist, Alan Davies.
It is an excellent resource for parents and teachers for
learning about, and also teaching, the fundamental building
blocks of English in an entertaining and fun way.
The value of the Phoneme Machine was recognised in the
September 2007 edition of Independent Talking Points, the
magazine of the Association of Speech and Language
Therapists in Independent Practice, in which Catherine
Redmayne, the editor, wrote, "I would have paid just
for some bits of this programme. Considering the whole thing
was free to download, it was a wonderful offering from
THRASS".
This latest version of the Phoneme Machine, version
V6-CS, follows a request from Cued Speech Association UK to
include a Cued Speech option, and is being developed by
THRASS UK as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility
Programme, which aims to improve the quality of life for the
local community and society at large.
In Cued Speech, each sound (phoneme) has a visual
representation. These sound-based units give deaf children
access to spoken and written English. Cued Speech uses lip
reading and eight hand-shapes in four different positions
near the mouth to represent the 44 sounds of English. The
combination of the hand shape, the hand position and the lip
shape makes every sound of spoken language clear, so that 96
per cent of spoken language can be lip-read accurately.
In version V6-CS, the shapes, positions and movements of
the hands will be displayed alongside moving human lips,
with the cueing for each of the 500 basewords of English
demonstrated in a video box.
Cued Speech can clarify spoken language wherever it is
used at home and in school and it is uniquely helpful with
literacy. A wide body of international research shows that
profoundly deaf children who have had constant access to
Cued Speech achieve literacy levels equivalent to hearing
children of the same age. They are able to read by applying
their particular knowledge of phonemes, even if they have
not heard them, to written language. There is much evidence
that this phonological awareness is crucial to reading
success and deaf children who are not aware of the sounds of
spoken language cannot learn to read in this way.
Anne Worsfold, Executive Director, Cued Speech
Association UK, is very excited about the new software,
which is suitable for independent learning at home, as well
as for training groups in homes or schools: "We are
confident that this software is going to change the lives of
many deaf children, their parents, relatives and friends,
and their teachers by helping deaf children to learn English
and to understand and use synthetic phonics. The software
will help people to learn and practise their Cued Speech
skills, resulting in more deaf children achieving literacy
levels equivalent to hearing children. It perfectly
complements our existing free e-learning provision".
Staff from Cued Speech Association UK and Exeter Royal
Academy for Deaf Education have been involved in the
development of the software. Everyone is looking forward to
using the final version and to seeing the progress made by
children from using the Cued Speech functions, both in the
UK and other countries.
Lynette Diederichs, Cued Speech South Africa and a
teacher at Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf, where Zulu is
the home language, already knows the benefits of combining
Cued Speech with THRASS: "The children love finding the
pictures on the THRASS picturechart and learning to cue the
words. We can't wait to see and use this groundbreaking
software".
The British Government considers 'high quality phonic
work' the best means for teaching beginner readers how to
read and spell, and the teaching of literacy through phonics
is part of the National Curriculum. Deaf children brought up
with Cued Speech use phonics strategies when they learn to
read just as hearing children do, so that they can 'sound
out' words they do not know, and also work out how to spell
new words that they have seen cued. Version V6-CS will now
make it possible for deaf children to work independently,
both in school and at home, on the sounds and spelling
choices in English words.
Version V6-CS will be available as a free download from
the THRASS website within the territory that THRASS UK is
licensed to serve but the plan is to make the software
accessible to as many children as possible. Alan Davies and
Anne Worsfold will therefore be seeking a meeting with Ed
Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and
Families, to demonstrate the new software and to request
that each Local Authority appoints at least one 'Cued Speech
Champion', who will work with all health centres, nurseries
and schools to ensure that deaf children are not forgotten
in the Government's Every Child A Talker programme - a
programme that stresses the vital importance of good early
communication skills in all children.
THRASS UK expects to launch the Phoneme Machine version
V6-CS in January 2009. Anyone who wishes to be informed of
when the software becomes available for download, should
visit www.thrass.co.uk/cuedspeech.htm.
For information about Cued Speech and courses run by Cued
Speech Association UK, visit www.cuedspeech.co.uk
