Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist

Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist

Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist

Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist Hazel Mendonca Speech-Language Pathologist
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Reading and Writing

What is the Sounds-Write program?

 Sounds-Write is a highly successful linguistic phonics program that aligns with the science of reading.  'Linguistic phonics' means a program that is based on and structured around the sounds of speech.  Learning to talk is a primary skill because we are biologically programmed to learn language, and we naturally pick it up from listening to the people around us talking.   Reading and writing are secondary skills that piggyback on the primary skill of oral language.  As a writing system is a cultural invention it needs to be explicitly taught.  Neuroplasticity allows us to create a new system in our brain that specializes in computing letters and letter strings as spoken language.


Sounds-Write starts with the knowledge that children have naturally acquired; the sounds of their language, and teaches them to read and write them.   It is a high-quality, multisensory training program that draws on well-established theories of learning and teaching,  Here's the link to learn more: https://sounds-write.co.uk/


Narrative Skills

As children can't write what they can't say, it is crucial to build a strong foundation in oral language skills before expecting them to write stories and informational text.  The fastest way to promote story writing is through oral storytelling as they share similar linguistic features.  As children become proficient in oral narrative skills, key narrative elements such as story grammar (e.g., character, setting, problem, plan/action, consequence, ending) have been found to transfer from their oral to written language (Spencer & Peterson, 2018). Narrative intervention is one of the most powerful approaches to language intervention and can facilitate the development of a child’s oral language abilities, writing skills and social-emotional learning. 

Speech-language pathologists have specialized knowledge about how speech and language is processed in the brain.  As a SLP who is also a trained Sounds-Write practitioner, I can support your child or teen with their literacy development.    

 

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