Using pictophonics for older learners

Although the course materials are optimised for use with 6 to 9 year-old children, I think you will be amazed by how well your 11 to 14-year-old children respond to them. We have had very positive results with secondary schools already, with students’ reading being transformed after years of previous difficulties.

The system’s success is based on a visual phonics approach that uses pictophonics images as a scaffold to help children develop their reading skills implicitly, moving those skills into their procedural memory. It is a visual strategy which engages the auditory cortex, often the part of the brain which is affected when children experience reading difficulties.

You can expect it to take around 120 lessons for an average 11 year-old to be lifted off their reading plateau and start progressing steadily towards grade level. Typically, children make a lot of reading progress between the ages of 8 and 11, so it is unusual to get an immediate catch-up. However, you will see clear changes in confidence, attitude and rate of progress from early on.

Short-term and long-term impact can be seen in the data collected by the Open University in their London trials. You can also download a PDF of our secondary school case study at the Cherwell School with students 1-6 years behind reading expectation.

The system is designed to combine the efforts of the school and parents. Parents can log into their child’s school account to do lessons at weekends and during the holidays. It also provides a common language for teachers and parents to discuss children’s reading difficulties and any disillusionment in terms of real solutions and success.

Easyread lessons take 10-15 minutes, need to be done a minimum of 4 times a week and need to be monitored by a trained facilitator. We provide all the training necessary for success.

Next step

If you would like to test it in your school, we can set up a free pilot trial for you. Just get in touch.