More About the
Reading and Phonetics Series

 

Today's teachers serve students with diverse abilities and language backgrounds. How can one curriculum meet all their needs? The Reading and Phonetics Workbook Series enables every learner to participate in the same lesson plan.

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Originally developed for English language learners, the series was expanded to include multi-abled learners ages 10 and up. Four coordinated versions are united by a common phonetic system and share identical reading and spelling assignments.

 

The TEAM logo is an acronym representing the four versions:

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T — Tactile Alphabet

E — English Language Learners (ELL)

A — Articulation

M — Manual Alphabet

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The Tactile Alphabet version contains a visualized text for sighted parents and teachers, a hard-copy braille text (level 1 only), and a digital text for use with a refreshable braille display. It is designed to help students learn Grade 1 braille.

 

The ELL version presents rules written in formulas with concepts communicated using images. Images are also used to define vocabulary. It was designed for English language learners and may also be helpful for struggling readers.

 

The Articulation version features detailed illustrations of vowel and consonant formations. It was designed for students who struggle with clarity of speech and may also be useful for English language learners developing pronunciation skills, as well as students developing lip-reading skills.

 

The Manual Alphabet version contains illustrations of each hand sign. Front and side view images of the vocal tract are included to support lip-reading skills. It was designed for students with hearing loss and may also be useful for non-verbal students.​​​

 

Audio is included where appropriate. Additional sensory associations, including touch, scent, taste, and sound, provide alternative avenues for learning when visual or auditory cues are limited.​​

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The program is organized into three levels:

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Level 1 introduces the spellings and sounds of single-syllable words.

Level 2 expands vocabulary, introduces diphthongs, and provides additional transcription practice.

Level 3 extends instruction to multisyllabic words.

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A free preparatory workbook is available for students new to the Latin alphabet.

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Originally developed for braille readers, the simplified phonetic system used throughout the series supports teachers and students in multilingual and multi-abled classrooms.

 

A distinctive feature of the series is its use of singing as a tool for phonetic study. Students are encouraged to sing their words to develop clarity of speech. Singing slows the articulatory process, allowing the voice additional time to accurately form vowels while providing the energy needed for clear and precise consonant articulation. This approach grew directly from the author's experience teaching voice and lyric diction at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University.