The S ou n d R ea d i ng
S y s t e m (Oxford SRS) is an evidence-based and brain-friendly,
linguistic phonics programme that teaches struggling readers of any age, including adults, how to read and spell. This one-to-one programme is based on the research and prototype of Diane McGuinness (Emeritus Professor of Psychology at South Florida University and author of ‘Why Children Can’t
Read’) and adapted, with her permission, by Fiona Nevola
B.Ed.(Sussex) M.Sc.(Oxon). The programme
has also been used successfully in Further Education Colleges, Youth Offender Institutions and as a whole-class programme.
The
Sound Reading System in action Fiona Nevola talks about the programme
www.ourrighttoread.com/englishalphabet.html The English Alphabet Code
http://www.rrf.org.uk/newsletter.php?n_ID=95 A prototype for teaching the English Alphabet Code by Professor Diane McGuinness.
Oxford SRS is amongst a mere handful of remedial programmes which are fully compliant with the Rose review's advice on literacy interventions; '..effective intervention work should focus on the phonic skills children have already met in their mainstream classes but may need more help and time from skilled adults to strengthen and secure those aspects they had not first understood' (Rose 2006 para153) The DCSF are in agreement and state that, 'High-quality (synthetic) phonic work, as defined by the Rose review, should be a key feature of literacy provision in all the ‘waves’ of intervention'.
Tutoring: The Sound Reading System works brilliantly; it's
really fast, effective and fun! Unusually perhaps, parents sit in on the lessons so they understand the procedure and can support their
child with the between-lesson, fail-safe homework tasks. In
this way progress is maintained from one weekly session to
the next. The programme works rapidly with positive advances
to the child's reading skills being perceptible to all involved
within a short time. Whether or not the student has been diagnosed as 'dyslexic' makes no difference.
Three page article about Sound Reading System tutoring from Exeter's Express&Echo
newspaper (7/2/05) HOW SAM FOUND A WAY
WITH WORDS Download
the full PDF article here - you'll need to 'magnify' the article to read the print.
If you live within reach of Exeter and are
interested in remedial tuition for your child (I teach adults too) please contact
me for a chat and to arrange for a free, no-obligation, low-key assessment. susan@godsland.net
/ Tel. 01392 438844..
What parents and students have said about the programme:
‘’His reading advanced more in one lesson of Sound
Reading than in two whole years of school.’’ (PA)
‘’I’ve noticed that his self-confidence
has improved since he started the programme, even in non-literacy
areas; he’s a different boy now’’ (JG)
‘’I heard J (age10) read for the very first time
at the end of his first lesson’’ (CB)
‘’His school is amazed. They re-tested him* and
his reading age had gone up a whole year’’ (TJ)
*after 3 lessons of the Sound Reading programme.
“Guess what? When I first came to you I could not read. Now I can read Harry Potter books!” (nine year old boy).
“If you know these methods that work, why doesn’t everyone know them? Why wasn’t I taught this way at school?” (a 17 year-old juvenile offender remanded to a probationary centre)
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Fiona Nevola and Professor Diane McGuinness were speakers at the Reading Reform Foundation 2006 conference.
Read summaries of their presentations:
http://www.rrf.org.uk/newsletter.php?n_ID=176
www.rrf.org.uk/newsletter.php?n_ID=173.
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Sound Reading System study results
1. Unpublished study. Data: 2003-2007
Ages: 6 to adult. N=140
Study Type: Individual tutoring. 7 Tutors combined data.
Treatment: Synthetic Phonics + Advanced code. All components – including
reading materials, spelling, etc. - controlled by learning sequence
Time: One hour per week. Parent-supported homework.
Duration: Range 6 to 30 hours. Average: 18 hours.
Tests: Nelson NFER Reading Test, Schonell Spelling, Parallel Spelling
Results: Gains in Years:Months
NFER Read. NFER Comp. Schonell/Parallel Spelling
All students: 2:4 2:7 2:3
(all tutors)
2. Unpublished internal report. L. Stewart and D. Sherwood. Directors of Training: Thames Valley Probationary Services. 2006
Ages: 20 to 54 years. N=16
Study Type: Individual tutoring on site. Subjects self selected.
Time: One hour session per week plus homework.
Duration: 4 to 11 hours. Average = 6 hours.
Tests: WRAT. Pre and post test scores.
Results: Average reading age at pre-test was 7:5 years (range 6-11 years). Spelling age range was 5-7 years.
Gains in Years:Months on the WRAT
Reading: 2:2
Spelling: 3:6
[N.B. Learning speed is critical for this highly transient population. Half the original group of 31 people could not complete lessons and were unavailable for post-testing.]
From the report: “The majority of our learners cannot believe that reading and writing is actually as simple as it is.” -- “Learners often broke down and cried because they can finally see how the reading or spelling process works.”
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Using Oxford SRS as a whole-class programme: In addition to the highly successful Oxford SRS programme for remedial teaching, classroom materials based on this programme have been provided to local schools, and the methods have been introduced in Reception and in Primary 1, in Northumberland, and in local schools. None of the students in these classrooms fails to learn to read, and a substantial proportion of them are reading two or more years above age level norms.
‘Things have gone from strength to strength, we were inspected by OFSTED in May (2007) who deemed us to be outstanding in every category with no key issues and our SATs results have hit an all time high with 100% of children getting level 4 or more in English, Maths and Science at the end of key stage 2 and 40% achieving Level 5 in English which is quite an achievement since 50% of the pupils had special needs. I consider your programme has been instrumental in helping us achieve these successes'. Kevin Dodd, Headmaster of Kibblesworth Primary School (Gateshead LEA)
The history behind the little example above:
- Whole staff training July 04
- Oxford SRS introduced into Reception and Special Needs September 04
- By July 05 Reception children at least one year ahead of Y1 (NLS taught)
- Decision to combine Literacy teaching of new Y1 and new Y2 from Sept 05-July 06 and teach Sound Reading
- Sats results June 07
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Leicester Further Education College takes on OSRS for Adult 'Skills for Life'.
http://www.leicestercollege.ac.uk/index.php/College-Latest-News-/Latest-News/Leicester-College-leads-the-way-in-understanding-approaches-to-adult-learning.html
Lucy Pates, Programme Area Manager - Leicester College Skills for Life Team said, “The tutors who attended training in using this approach have many years of experience in working with people on their reading. They are all extremely excited about this approach, and have seen a significant impact on the learners they have used it with.
“We are a successful department, and our learners make good progress. However, we continually look for different approaches, and this is the first time that we have come across a reading scheme as systematic and thorough as this and that is based on research.”
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October 2008: Following are some submissions sent to Sir Jim Rose for his review into, 'Improving educational outcomes for children with dyslexia', commissioned by the DCSF. All mention the effectiveness of the Sound Reading System and the writers have given permission for them to be put on this webpage:
Submission 1.
Dear Sir Jim
I came across the Sound Reading System, through the charity, Our Right to Read, in October 2005 and did the five day course in Oxford with Fiona Nevola. I was lucky enough to be able to practise almost straight away at my local primary school, Christ Church Primary in Chelsea, on a voluntary basis. The school is an excellent school (Ofsted awarded outstanding) and as part of its synthetic phonics programme, it invited Fiona Nevola to do an “inset” day. Following this training day three teachers, two class teachers (Reception and Year 1) and one Special Educational Needs teacher, went to Oxford to do the training and have now brought the system into the classroom. The parents and teaching assistants are very much involved and the SEN teacher said she felt that with the Sound Reading System she could now teach anyone to read. I feel this too.
I work, one to one, with children at Christ Church and from other schools, who need to “catch up”. They range from 6 to 13 years old. From my experience I think these children have got left behind for several reasons: they may have been able to memorise words and then find they have difficulty reading when they get to the age of about 7: they may have got “sight” words confused and developed a habit of guessing what they are reading. One or two children I have taught have had difficulty hearing an individual sound and some, because they learn at a different pace from their peers or feel pressure from parents, have lost confidence and have built a resistance to reading. With the Sound Reading System these difficulties are overcome through a carefully planned sequence of structured lessons designed to give the learner (and the teacher) confidence through listening for the sounds represented by letters or spellings, sorting and spotting them, building words, and reading and writing, using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic ways to learn. With the Sound Reading System children and grown ups alike are fascinated and pleased by the rapid progress they make. A thirteen year old who came to me with a reading age of 6 years and 7 months achieved a reading age of 12 years and 3 months after 11 lessons in three months (tested by Bloomfield, London). The school is sending you evidence of the significant improvements in “catch up” and in the classroom that the Sound Reading System has had. I have started to teach a seven year old with a chromosome abnormality, Alfi’s syndrome, who, with the help of her teaching assistant, is beginning to read a few words. I am teaching a 9 year old child diagnosed by the Dyslexia Institute with moderate to severe dyslexia. He is making progress and enjoying his lessons, not guessing and gaining in confidence. He is due to be tested by the Institute but after your deadline. His mother is a teacher and has also submitted evidence to you.
The Sound Reading System is based on the research by Professor Diane McGuinness. Fiona Nevola trains teachers to use the method and has produced the teaching materials. She teaches children of all ages with all kinds of difficulties. She also teaches young offenders and adults, and works tirelessly to get this system better known.
As this is such a valuable key to reading and spelling please consider my evidence and look at the website www.ourrighttoread.com
Submission 2.
Sound Reading System at HMP YOI Warren Hill.
In April 2007 a number of staff were trained to deliver the Oxford Sound Reading System (OSRS) In May 2007 the SENCo, Liz Lansdowne, ran a pilot.
16 Young People (YPs) received an average of 16 sessions of approximately 40 minutes three times per week in the period May - August 2007.
The average improvement in reading age ranged from 0 - 25 months with the mode being in excess of 10 months.
Following a review of Learning Support Assistant (LSA) deployment in January, a group was set up for 24 YPs. These YPs receive support in small classes for Literacy and Numeracy and they also access the OSRS for 30 minutes every day.
Of the 76 YPs receiving support on the OSRS from January to June 2008 the improvement in reading age ranged from 1 month - 35 months with the mode being in excess of 12 months. Spelling also improved , the range being 1 month - 25 months with the mode being in excess of 3 months.
Research also revealed that :
- 65% of YPs progressed at least one level in Literacy or Numeracy in the period January - March 2008 compared to 53% in the previous quarter
- Student Perception of Course (SPOC) results for July 2008 showed that 82% of YPs felt that the course has helped them to become more confident - a 32% increase since the introduction of OSRS
- SPOC results for July 2008 showed that 91% felt that the course would help them gain employment on release.
Case Study 1
For the purpose of this case study the YP will be referred to as AB.
AB is 15 years old. He had a disrupted history of education and serious substance misuse issues. He was statemented for dyslexia in year 5 of primary school.
AB had his first OSRS session on 6/8/07. His reading age was assessed at 9:0 - 10:1 and his spelling age was assessed as 6:4. AB had a reading age markedly higher than his spelling age. AB was largely self taught and the OSRS diagnostic indicated that AB had little understanding of the sound symbol correspondence, segmenting or blending.
AB received 30 sessions of OSRS over a 3 month period. We concentrated mainly on spelling. AB started right from the beginning in order to establish the basics of the code. We also practised reading at a higher level.
AB was released on 8/11/07. He was retested prior to his release and his reading age had improved by 20 months to 10:8 - 11:9 His spelling had improved by 55 months to 11:1 which corresponded with his reading age.
Case Study 2
For the purpose of this case study the YP will be referred to as BC.
BC is 17 years old. He is from a travelling background. BC had a low dyslexia indicator score. BC had his first OSRS session on 28/01/08 and he had a reading age of 8:6 - 9:7 and a spelling age of 7:7.
He had very little understanding of sound symbol correspondence and was unable to segment and blend. However, he was keen to learn and worked hard starting with foundation 11 and the principles of OSRS.
He progressed quickly and his confidence increased. By 22/8/08 BC's reading age was 10:5 - 11:6 and he had a spelling age of 9:4.
Case Study 3
For the purpose of this case study the YP will be referred to as CD
CD is 17 years old and he has had very little formal education since he was 7 years old. He had a high dyslexia indicator score. CD had his first session of OSRS on 17/3/08.
His reading age was <6 and his spelling age was 6:5.
CD understood the way the system worked very quickly and after a short time CD showed a continuous commitment to the course.
CD was released on 23.5.08. He had received 31 sessions of OSRS and his reading age had improved by 2 years 11 months and his spelling age by 1:1 years.
Submission 3.
We have been using the Oxford Sound Reading System at an Independent Prep school for the past three –four years now; initially with children needing individual learning support, some clearly dyslexic and others with similar type reading and spelling problems. For some of these children it was like a light being switched on. It was so logical, multi sensory and with a structure to base their spelling attempts on. Non-readers are now soaking up books with real enjoyment which is so exciting for them and us. After about a year we invited Fiona Nevola to visit the school to give an Inset on the system to the English department and the teachers in the Pre-Prep. Since then the Sound Reading System idea has been used throughout the school from the Early Years on, supporting reading & writing, with children only being withdrawn if they needed more independent help with qualified SRS teachers. The idea of whispering sounds to the pencil as they write is instilled at an early age and really helps. The different sound spellings are on the walls in the classrooms to help them. It is a system that really works and all the teachers who have been on the courses come back really fired up. Using it within the confines of the school timetable obviously takes slightly longer than if we were able to follow 1 hours teaching + 3 x 20min backup sessions but progress is still incredible and I cannot praise Fiona Nevola’s work highly enough.
What can a ‘non-professional’ do?
Yesterday I gave an ‘Overview’ of the Sound Reading programme on a whole school ‘inset’ day.
The school is a Primary School in West London. It has 210 pupils; it is in the top 20% of Primary Schools in the country; it has 23% of children with Special Needs that includes 12 children on full ‘statements’ and 15 that the school considers cause for concern; it has a lively motivated staff and a lively motivated open minded head teacher; it has an active and involved board of governors.
In October 2005 a non-professional (not a trained teacher) volunteer from this school came on our five day Sound Reading System programme training. She is clerk to the governors of this school and wanted to become further involved by hearing children read. She had heard of our training and of the underpinning information that we taught on the training: i.e. the understanding of the English alphabet code that underpins SRS. She was fascinated and knew instinctively that this would help her to help the children.
She returned to the school after the training armed with the information she now had and the simple but comprehensive teaching materials that would help her to teach any child to read. Indeed such was her success as a volunteer, where she picked up those children who were getting ‘left behind’, that the Special Needs department asked what she was doing and then came in to observe her. They too became fascinated. An ‘untrained’ volunteer was unassumingly teaching these children to read and spell - and rapidly too. What was going on?
Very simply: the children were being taught the alphabet code-that is to say the spellings that match the 44 sounds of spoken English. There are roughly 176 spellings that match our 44 spoken sounds and we have 26 letters of the alphabet. These letters are combined to make up the full range of 44 sounds- and most of the sounds in English have multiple spellings, which need to be taught. Through SRS, the children are taught the code in a simple logical format using the necessary skills to access a sound to symbol code- namely segmenting and blending. This information is not being taught in schools. It is not being taught in teacher training colleges. On a recent SRS training an NVQ just out of a three year B.Ed training for Primary School asserts that she had no useful training in the teaching of reading.
Although this advertises the Oxford SRS programme, it is more importantly a very clear statement. Our teachers need to be armed with the basic information that our children need. There is NO mystery in learning to read. None at all. Everybody that is associated with education and interested in any way with the health of our society, should be concerned with what is happening to the children and young people within our society that can not read and spell. They should be looking for the answer. We have huge ‘special needs’ departments in all our schools. The special need is to provide the children with the missing information and to do so fast before more lives are unnecessarily and scandalously ruined.
Fiona Nevola
June 12th 2007 | 
