Speech Sound Pics (SSP) is the Reading, Spelling and Handwriting Program used at Tin Can
Bay State School. It is a Prep to year 6 program which supports learning through to year 10 and
beyond.
Regardless of age, students work through the three phases
• Phase 1 covers Phonemic Awareness and Oral Language. No sound pics (letters) used
• Phase 2 (Green, Purple, Yellow and Blue level) Code Mapping (linking speech sounds with their
written representation) with Vocabulary Knowledge, Fluency and comprehension
• Phase 3 Reading to Learn stage
At its very core, the SSP Approach teaches students to master Code Mapping - segmenting
(decoding) and blending (encoding) enabling them to read and spell any word.
The goal is for every student entering year 2 to be working at Phase 3. At this time, it is
expected that every student will enter year 3 working at Phase 3. An intervention program is in
place for year 3+ students still working in Phase 2.
Terminology
Blending is joining the sounds together to say a word. Blending and segmenting are inverse
skills.
Code is the ability to encode (blend) and decode (segment).
Code Mapping is linking Speech Sounds to their written representations on paper (letters/ letter
Strings) to read or write a word. Every speech sound mapped – ‘grass’ code mapped is g/r/a/ss
Decoding means translating written words into the sounds and meanings of spoken words
(reading).
Duck hands are used to split speech sounds in spoken words, and to help the brain ‘see’ the
Speech Sound Pics in written words. (Using your non-writing hand, move your thumb towards
your 4 fingers mimicking a ‘talking’ movement). Duck hands go from left to right and blend the
individual speech sounds into the whole word. This helps the brain track speech sounds from left
to right, as well as print.
Duck words are high frequency words (traditionally called sight words), however unlike sight
words, Duck words are not expected to be learned by sight as a whole word. Instead, they need
to be coded the same way we read (the only two words which can’t be coded are one and once).
Students move through seven levels. To move up a level, students need to be able to code
(read and write correctly) every word.
Encoding, or spelling, is the reverse process of decoding. The skills used in encoding are
developed alongside decoding skills and reflect similar learning.
Follow the Sounds, Say the Word is how students decode unfamiliar words. This is our only
reading ‘rule’. We do not say ‘sound it out’
Identifying speech sounds. Every time your mouth changes to make a new speech sound is
where the word is split for ‘code mapping’ and for duck hands, lines and numbers.
Lines and Numbers means to draw a line to identify
where each speech sound sits. This also helps us to
manipulate the speech sounds and Speech Sound Pics
(the most difficult phonemic awareness skill).
Segmenting is stretching the word apart into its individual sounds (phonemes). Blending and
segmenting are inverse skills.
Sound clouds are spelling choices for all English sounds.
For example /s/ can be represented by writing
sc,z,c,ss,ts,ce,ps,st,sw,s,se. To formally add another
sound pic to the cloud, it must be found in at least two
words (you can email Wiringbrains.com.au). Any single
words using a different sound pic can be written on the
outside of the cloud for your classroom.
Sound Pic is a picture of a sound (traditionally called letters). This could be one or more letters
that make one sound. For example the sound pic for an /a/ is ‘a’ as in brat or ‘ai’ as in plait. We
can identify these by thinking about when our mouth / tongue changes.
Sound Pic Sandwich traditionally known as a split digraph a_e e_e etc. This will be explored
further in blue code level and brain training videos.
Speech Sound Camera is a magical camera which ‘captures’ speech sounds in our brain.
Speech Sound Detective is when students find unknown words and ask someone what the
word is. Then they look for known speech sounds in that word and investigate sound pics which
could represent another sound.
Speech Sound Piano is wiggling your fingers over the line where a
speech sound sits. Relates to the app. Speech to print is how we
learn and therefore how we’ll teach!
Speedy Paired Decoding one person, who already knows the words, follows the sounds. The
other person points to the words (so they are listening to the sounds and their eyes are looking at
the word and their finger is pointing to the word) and they say the word.
Reading and Spelling ANY word
If we are told what the word is, we can start thinking about how to code map it, even if it is not in
our code level.
If a student does not know a word when reading, they are not asked to sound it out, have a go,
look at the pictures or leave it and come back to it. They are given the speech sounds and the
student blends them into a word, or are told the word and the student gives the speech sounds
and maps them with the sound pics in the word. This maintains the flow of reading and meaning
is not lost.
When a student does not know how to spell a word, they use the SSP spelling strategy poster Say it, Duck Hand it, Draw a line for each speech sound and Number and work out the choices
with the help of the clouds. All of these strategies speed up the rate at which the brain ‘maps’.
If they need to spell a word, eg ‘grass’ they may have a go like this:
1
2
3
4
g
r
a
s
g
r
a
ss
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
The teacher would say “I just need you to change the number 4 sound pic.” The teacher will
direct the student to the /s/ cloud and the may be able to see which sound pic should go there. If
they don’t know, tell them that the ‘ss’ is the sound pic used for the fourth sound in grass. They
see this and their brain begins to rewire to remember (with practice) this sound pic.
Now students can spell any word, even if they need help with the speech sound choices.
How do I teach Duck Level 1 when my students are still on Green Level?
Students start learning Duck Words when working on Green level sound pics. Most sound pics
in Duck Level 1 are outside their code, but it is important that they start looking at sound pics in
these high frequency so that they are able to read and write simple sentences. Without these
high frequency words, they would be limited to simple words and not many phrases. By being
exposed to things like /oo/ in ‘to’, and /z/ in ‘is’, students start to notice how sounds can be
represented in more than one way. So, they are already making lots of early discoveries by
learning these high frequency words alongside their code level. Initially introduce Duck Words
with Duck hands, lines and numbers; explore them orally before adding sound pics.
Have a look at some ideas to help your child below.
You could do any of these or mix them up!
2 minutes
Parent will
follow the
sounds eg
‘th a’ and
child will say
the word
‘the’
Do for all
words
5 minutes
Parent will
follow the
sounds eg ‘th
a’ and child
will say the
word ‘the’
Do for all
words
Parent write
the words on
a page (or
get the list
from school)
and have the
student draw
lines and
numbers for
the words
Do for all
words
10 minutes
Parent will follow the sounds eg ‘th a’
and child will say the word ‘the’
Do for all words
(Use a whiteboard (or paper). Use
Duck Hands and follow the sounds
again eg ‘th a n k’ then have the child
say the word, draw lines and
numbers.
10 minutes
Give child a set of
individual duck words.
They turn over the top
one and parent follows
the sounds and child
says the word, and
then put on another
pile.
Do for all words
Repeat activity but
child follows the
sounds with parent.
Ask the child to add any sound pics
that they think go on the lines. They
will know the ones at their code level
and below, and maybe some higher.
The third time, child
follows the sounds
without parent, and
parent says the word.
Ask them which ones they know. Eg
the child might know the /a/ and know
that it sits on the second line. They
might also recognise the third sound
/n/ (as it is a green level sound pic).
They might even add a ‘c’ to the
fourth sound. If so, tell them that the
4th sound pic isn’t right and look at the
/c/ cloud together to see if they
recognise which sound pic should be
there. If not, tell them which one
goes there. “The /c/ is represented by
a ‘K’. They say the word ‘th a n k’
and see that the /th/ sound is
represented by a ‘th’. They are
making discoveries!
Then shuffle them.
Parent gives them 4
seconds to work out
the word (and then
parent follows the
sounds and say it).
If they got the word
within 4 seconds, they
keep it. If not, parent
keeps it.
How many did they get
to keep? If time, give
the child another
chance.
SSP Parent’s page on Facebook
Join the parent’s page on Facebook to ask questions! Search ‘Speech Sound Pics Approach –
SSP’. There are about 3500 people on the page!
Great Resources for Home
A3 Sound Clouds Poster (school can provide) or speech sound clouds (available at
Wiringbrains.com)
Whiteboard and marker or scrap paper and pencil
Home Activities for Phase 1
Use your Duck Hands to follow the sounds to ANY word. For example, ask your child to s/i/t
down at the table and they will sit. Ask them to take the d/i/sh/es to the s/i/n/k and they should
take the dishes to the sink.
Home Activities for Phase 2
Speedy Paired Decoding Check it out on Youtube or watch your child’s teacher do it. Or better
still, ask your child to teach you!
Shopping - Have your child write the shopping list. You suggest an item by following the sounds
and they say the word. If they are stuck on the spelling, use the spelling suggestion above
(spelling any word section). When you are at the shops, ask the child to grab the ch ee se etc or
have them read the list by following the sounds and you say the word.
Watch these videos
The Story of the Speech Sound King’s Code
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygE_uicmLY
Speedy Paired Decoding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KygE_uicmLY
Code Mapping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jSMCau1lJQ
Want even more?
Ask your child’s teacher for some more activities they can do at home!