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Sound Waves Articles & Videos

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The Great Australian Schwa

Sound Waves

Embrace the schwa with this clever Aussie-themed rhyme.
The four key areas of teaching spelling

Sound Waves

Spelling is a complex skill that requires systematic and explicit instruction. Four key areas for teaching spelling are phonemic awareness, synthetic phonics, morphology and etymology. Let’s take a look at what each area involves, and why it is important.
Play 'Phoneme Chain'

Sound Waves

Phoneme Chain can be played at any time of the week. You don’t need any resources to play – just a willing class of participants!
A guide to the Sound Waves Spelling Diagnostic Test

Sound Waves

We’ve put together a quick guide to help you understand everything there is to know about the Spelling Diagnostic Test, including where to find it, when to administer it, how to mark it and how to incorporate any required remediation…
Getting parents involved with Sound Waves

Sound Waves

Whether you formally provide homework or not, many parents are eager to support their child’s spelling practice throughout the year. However, some parents may have learned to spell using different approaches to those used in Sound Waves. To ensure Sound Waves…
What is the ‘schwa’?

Sound Waves

The schwa is the most common vowel sound in Australian English and is represented by the most letter combinations (graphemes). Although the schwa is formally taught in Unit 36, it’s important to talk with students about this sound when they…
Helping students make correct grapheme choices: Unpacking the Kite Sound Box

Sound Waves

Some phonemes (sounds) are represented by just one or two different graphemes (letter/s). Other phonemes can be represented by several different graphemes and therefore require more complex decision-making to achieve correct spelling.
Case study: Balarang Public School embarks on its Sound Waves journey

Sound Waves

Finding the right spelling resource takes careful consideration. Beyond the pedagogical approach and how it matches the curriculum, you may be wondering, ‘Are the teacher resources clear and easy to use? Does the program contain remediation and extension opportunities that…
Helping students make the right grapheme choices

Sound Waves

Australian English is made up of 43 phonemes (sounds) that make up our spoken language. Each phoneme can be represented by a number of different grapheme (letter/s)choices (some have more than 10 to choose from) …