Useful Videos

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The Sounds of New Zealand English

Correct pronunciation of letters is vital for children learning to read. Often children are not taught (or are taught the incorrect way) to pronounce letter sounds. This has a major impact on the child's ability to decode (read) and encode (write) words.

New Zealand English has a unique accent. Emma Nahna, a fantastic NZ speech language therapist has made this video (featuring her clever daughter) to highlight the correct way to say each sound in our NZ accent.

Predictable Reading Books

Have you ever wondered if your child is actually reading the book they take home from school, or do you get the feeling they may be guessing or even memorising the words? Don't worry, you're not alone! Research has shown the books schools typically use to teach young children to read (predictable reading books) have spelling patterns that are too complex. Instead, we should be using decodable reading books with these students so they are reading books with spelling patterns they have been taught.

At Learning Legends, all students have access to decodable reading books so they become confident and successful readers!

Alison Clarke, a Speech Language Therapist from Australia, highlights in this video why some of our young readers struggle so much using predictable books. Alison has a wonderful website with a wealth of information on helping struggling students with reading and spelling. Many of these ideas can be implemented at home. You can check out Alison's website at: www.spelfabet.com.au