What are Phonemies?
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a standardised system for representing the sounds of spoken language. It uses symbols to represent each distinct speech sound (phoneme) in all languages, allowing for accurate pronunciation regardless of spelling.
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Each symbol corresponds to a single sound, avoiding the inconsistencies of written language.
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It is widely used in linguistics, language teaching, speech therapy, and phonetic transcription.
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In English, the IPA helps clarify pronunciation, particularly for words with unpredictable spelling patterns. It is often used by those learning English as an additional language to ensure accurate pronunciation eg via tophonetics.com.
Phonemies are used in place of phonetic symbols to show children the phoneme value of grapheme-to-phoneme or phoneme-to-grapheme correspondences
Unlocking Phonics for NeuroReadies: How Phonemies Make the Code Visible
Code Mapping® makes the written code visible, showing the Sound Pics® (graphemes), while Monster Mapping® reveals the speech sounds (phonemes) with Phonemies—the Speech Sound Monsters®.
We are SEN experts and specialists in linguistic and neurodiversity—advocating for personalised learning and celebrating the diversity of language and minds. 1 in 4 children won’t master phonics without Phonemies—Visible Phonics from The Reading Hut®
Speech Sound Mapping with Phonemies!
Can you see why so many SALTs use Phonemies to support their
Speech and Language Therapy!
School based speechies have been using them in Australia for years now!
All three elements matter!
The speech sounds, the Sound Pics®, and the meaning must all be connected to become stored in the orthographic lexicon for instant recognition when reading and effortless retrieval when writing.
When you map words with children or SHOW them mapped words—e.g., in the Chants—you soon realise if any bits are missing!
Avery HEARD the word hill and saw the Phonemies (sound value) and the Sound Pics (graphemes). He thought heal was the same word because of his accent. Without a visual representation in his 'brain word bank' he doesn't know the difference, even if he explores the meaning of the word. When you map words this way, you are addressing linguistic and neurodiversity every day! Children will discover so much about speech, the written code, and vocabulary! And you will be guided by them—figuring out what they need, when they need it.
Loved this clip!!
Word Mapping: How Phonemies Make the WHOLE Code Visible
Did you know that commercial phonics programmes typically teach only around 100 grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences, with approximately 85 tested in the Phonics Screening Check (PSC)? Yet, skilled readers navigate over 350 correspondences. You can see these in the Spelling Clouds, which are always available as a reference for children. However, they will only be explicitly taught the ones positioned on the outer edges.
To ensure clarity in terminology, we will refer to 'irregular words' as those that contain at least one grapheme-phoneme correspondence (GPC) not explicitly taught in phonics programmes.
For example, in the sentence:
"The village is as pretty as a picture."
There are at least five GPCs not tested in the PSC or covered in standard phonics instruction.
5 GPCs in the sentence "The village is as pretty as a picture" that are not explicitly taught in the PSC:
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e → /ə/ (the schwa in the)
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a → /ɪ/ (the a in village)
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e → /ɪ/ (the e in pretty)
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t → /ʧ/ (the t in picture)
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ge → /ʤ/ (the ge in village)
Children may not be able to decode the words as they may not know the GPCs.
Phonemies will be used to visually highlight these missing correspondences, in ANY words, supporting children in both directions—decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling). They can do this independently, at any time.
Code Mapping® makes the written code visible, showing the Sound Pics® (graphemes), while Monster Mapping® reveals the speech sounds (phonemes) with Phonemies—the Speech Sound Monsters®.
We are SEN experts and specialists in linguistic and neurodiversity—advocating for personalised learning and celebrating the diversity of language and minds. 1 in 4 children won’t master phonics without Phonemies—Visible Phonics from The Reading Hut®
Sounds First Phonics: Speech Sound Mapping works better for all!
An opaque orthography is a writing system where the relationship between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters or letter combinations) can seem unpredictable (it is actually far more consistent than you might think, once you start mapping words! Unlike transparent orthographies, where each sound corresponds reliably to one spelling, English has a highly opaque orthography. This is why English is to difficult to learn, and Finnish is easy: each letter represents a single, consistent sound. For example, the letter a is always pronounced the same way. In English the grapheme 'a' maps to nine different phonemes across different words!
So graphemes map to several different sounds ...
Speech sounds map to different 'Sound Pics' - graphemes!
For example, the phoneme /s/ maps to 14 different graphemes in different spelling contexts.
This complexity makes it difficult for learners to predict how a word is spelled based on its pronunciation or how a written word should be pronounced. It is vital that they store words in the orthographic lexicon. To do this they need to the speech sounds, spelling and meaning to be 'glued' together.
When we show the whole word, segmented to highlight the graphemes and the Phonemies, we must also ensure that children know what the word is. However, when words are mapped, they can see correspondences that would otherwise be difficult to figure out, even if they already know the word. With good phonemic awareness and phonological working memory, they find this process easy and can then focus on meaning.For young children, the puzzle of figuring out a word is often the reward. This is why hyperlexic children—who teach themselves to read without instruction—can lose interest in reading once they have mastered it. The fun was in figuring out how it all fits. Autistic and ADHD children, in particular, are fantastic pattern seekers.
A range of factors make mapping phonemes to graphemes difficult when the code is not made visible. Phonemies help make complex concepts far easier to understand—even for toddlers. Some of these concepts aren’t even considered by skilled readers! 🙂 You can’t teach (or guide children to see) concepts you are unaware of.
Over 85% of the children in Reception, in the schools I support, can read and spell over 400 high-frequency words. Many of these words are considered ‘irregular’ because they contain at least one GPC that is not explicitly taught. Additionally, many include GPCs the child has not yet learned within the four code levels but will encounter later. This is because they are learning them with our tech, and not a human. All children can learn at their pace.
If the Phonemies were not there Spencer would struggle to understand
- at age 3 - that the /s/ and the /c/ both represent the same phoneme in his name.
Lara would struggle to understand the /a/ in her name maps with two different sounds (and neither are the one in 'ant')
This is why the Phonemies do not link with a letter. The letter/s that will map to it aren't known until in a word.
eg The /g/ could map with /ʤ/ - giant - or /g/ - green!
Student quote after we used the MyWordz tech 'Mrs Waters that new program is impressive it should be on all computers.' It will help everyone check the words they get stuck on.' Year Two student.
