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How to use Sound Waves' Focus Sound Searches to strengthen spelling skills

Sound Waves 17/2/22

Please note: A new and improved Sound Waves Years 3–6 program is on its way for use in 2027! Information in our professional learning articles may differ in the updated edition.

If your students like Where’s Wally? then our Sound Waves Focus Sound Searches are sure to be a hit in your classroom.

The Focus Sound Searches feature colourful illustrations packed with a range of objects containing a particular focus sound (phoneme). Available at Sound Waves Online, a Focus Sound Search has been created for each of the 43 phonemes of Australian English.

These engaging illustrations are embedded in the Foundation Phoneme–Grapheme Relationship lessons and are also available in Extra Games & Activities for any given unit across Foundation to Year 6.

To project a Focus Sound Search:

1. Log in to the Sound Waves online teaching resources and navigate to your year level.
2. Select a unit and open Extra Games & Activities.
3. Click on the Focus Sound Search under the Small Group & Whole Class Games section. Display the artwork to your class and have fun trying to find picture names that contain the focus sound.

You’ll find a list of possible answers for all 43 Focus Sound Searches on the Preparation and Planning page of Sound Waves Online.

See our Focus Sound Search for the focus sound /f/ below and find as many words as you can. There are over 40 to find!

Possible answers include: chef, dolphin, face, fairy, fall, fast, feet, fin, find, finger, fish, five, flag, flame, flap, flip, flipper, floating, floor, flower, fly, food, foot, fork, fossil, four, fox, fry, frying pan, fun, knife, laugh, leaf, phone, photo, reef, roof, selfie, starfish (as well as family, feeding frenzy, ferry, fire extinguisher).

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