The document provides guidance for teachers and parents on using speech sound picture (SSP) decoding practice books and folders to help children learn to decode words. It explains that additional "helpful words" are added to folders as children progress. The focus is on decoding words using SSPs, though sentences are also provided for context. Teachers are encouraged to have children identify SSPs in words at all times to help shape reading and spelling skills.

1. Download and create a
SSP Decoding Practice Book (also
used on whiteboards) to help
children practice decoding words
using their

2. Teachers/ Parents - ‘helpful words’ list
How any words are added to their
folders after the first 11 depends
on the child.
As you progress, point out when the
child can now decode the words (as
the child learns more sound pics)
These are high frequency words, not
‘sight words’ – and most can be decoded
when the child has covered those sound
pics.

3. The words created from their sound pics are the focus, however there is
also a sentence for each within the Green Level, for you to read, so that
the word is used in context. You will notice that it is not written in print.
Within most books a range of fonts are used, and children become used
to recognising the sound pics regardless of font.
At all times, from term 1 of Prep, try to see sound pics in words, and
encourage children to do the same.
This will really help you shape their reading and spelling brains.
Use every opportunity to do this !
Questions? Emma@ReadAustralia.com

4. Children learn these speech sound pics
explicitly first, and how to decode and
encode words using their sound pics

5. Alongside this explicit teaching
children also investigate the code, and
use the Speech Sound Clouds

14. Point to the sound pics in order, and the children say the word. Children can also take turns doing this
(eg make cards, they choose one, and then sound it on the board for the rest of the class)

15. Speedy Green Decoding
(Find them easy? Ask someone to time you!)
sat pit
Santa it
in pit
nip pin clock
. . . ___
sit ant
tan tin
pan pants
Stan nap

17. the cat and the dog sat

19. the tap drips, and the rabbit taps his paw

21. Pat the dog wags his ta

23. the man fell in the tin c

25. The turtle and the frog are
getting a tan

27. the crocodile’s teeth go SNAP, SNAP,

34. Our helpful words the
and
a to
said in
he I
of it
was

37. Draw a picture if you can read the sentence
the ant is in the sand pit.
Pat was in the tin, the ant was in the pan.
is it an ant or is it a pin, in the tin ?
(capital letters only used for names within this level as can be a completely different shape)

38. Stan sat in the sand pit

39. Stan sat in the sand pit
the ant sat in the sand

40. Ann sat in the pan !

41. Nat pants in the sand pit

44. the ant in a hat sat on the tap

46. the fat cat and the
duck sat on the hill

47. the man had a giggle at the kitten
and the frog

48. Rick is on the gentle panda

50. Our helpful words
the and a to said
in he I of it was you
they on he she for
his but that with all
we can are up had
my her what there out

55. Yellow Level Speech Sound Pics
• j v w x y z zz
jam van win box yell zoo buzz
happy
fly
qu ch sh th ng
quit chips ship this thumb ring
ai ee igh oa oo eigh
rain green high boat look moon eight
. height

56. Our helpful words
the and a to said in he I of
it was you they on he she
for his but that with all we
can are up had my her what
there out this have went be like
some so not then were go little as
no Mum one them do me down
Dad big when see looked very

57. Tish and Dad took a look in the
box at the puppy jumping.
‘He is a happy’ Dad said.
‘He is jumping so high!’ said Tish
Let’s see if we can jump too !

59. When you see this sound pic say
Cuckoo! Cuckoo !!
Is it oo as in look or oo as in moon?
Put eyes on them when
it’s an ‘oo’ as in look !
cook

65. blue level sound pics
ar or ow oi air ur
car for cow tow soil hair purse
The word ‘sale’ is a sound pic sandwich!
s a-e l sale
If you find any of these sound pics, when you are reading, add in more words !

66. blue level sound pics
er ay oy ou au
perfect play toy out group touch August
I play with my puppy, he loves it so much
He’s wriggly, he licks me, he’s silky to touch.
He’s perfect when out with just me, or a
group…
He tugs on my toys, and runs round in a loop
In November when cold, or August when hot
He just wants to play, he just doesn’t stop!

67. blue level sound pics
ir ie ue ea ui ey
first chief tie blue beat head suit key they
The first time they told me to get the blue tie
I thought it was to go round my head, not sure
why!
The key is to loop it, no easy feat,
but finishes the ‘suit look’, ready to meet
VIP people, perhaps the top chief !
Mum said we’re not going, WHAT A RELIEF !

68. blue level sound pics
aw wh ph ew oe ure are
claw whip dolphin few toe pure are dare
I love the cute dolphin, who kisses my nose
She splashes my fingers, and blows on my toes
I ask ‘are you sure?’ I ask, ‘do you dare?’
To whip up the water, and make the crab stare!
He’ll peep out from under the stone, it’s his door,
and wave a few times with his big orange claw !

69. blue level ‘sound pic sandwiches’
Say the word and listen to the last speech sound.
The Speech Sound Pic Sandwich Maker jumps
the last sound from the end, into the sandwich!
a-e e-e i-e
cake athlete bike
o-e u-e
coke flute
which of these sound pic
sandwiches can you see?

72. Speedy Blue Decoding
(Find them easy? Ask someone to time you!)
star whip
perfect for
may cow
seat soil
head hair clock
suit toy . . . ___
few blue
claw play
first group
touch out
purse key

75. More decoding / reading practice
s, a, t, p, i, n, c, k, ck, e, h, r, m, d
g, z, w, ng, v, oo, oo, y, x, ch, sh,
th, th, qu, ou, oi, ue, er, ar, y, ee,
a-e, e-e, i-e, o-e, u-e, ee, ay, oy,
ea, igh, ow, oa, ow, ou, ir, ur, ew,
au, aw, al
speld-sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=182
Sets 7, 8, 9, 10

76. Now let’s fully investigate the
Speech Sound Clouds
We can make sure we investigate ALL of the
speech sound pics in the English language. Many
have already been covered in the levels, and
through your sound pic detective work. These
clouds represent EVERY speech sound in the
English language, and show EVERY way we
represent it (ie all spelling variations in the
whole of the English language!!)
Teachers- children cover the levels in Prep and be ready for the clouds. By the end of Year 1
children can have covered all levels, and all spelling variations, if you take a systematic approach.

78. Use the clouds for your
detective work now,
and to work out ALL of the
sound pics for all of the
speech sounds you haven’t
explored in
the levels.

79. Teachers - if you have been using Speech Sound Cloud
Albums you will know from their albums what each child has
really looked at. If a child has only really ‘discovered’ ff and f,
for example, you know which to now look at more formally.
Really use these albums as they not only help the child, but
help you see what they have had experience with.

80. Ideas !
See if you can create a poem, story,
song etc that includes every sound pic
for that speech sound….. like this one !

81. Oh my word- have you heard?
Miss Emma hurt her nose
poor girl
Choose a cloud and see if you can create a song, poem, art work or something else to creatively
show ALL of the sound pics for that speech sound.

82. sip, cent, science, house, psychology,
castle, grass (Tsunami ?)

83. ant

84. getting, debt, tin, paste, pterodactyl

85. hop hopping

86. sit myth

87. not gnat know grinning pneumonia

88. mat, Summer, lamb, Autumn

89. paddle dog snapped

90. gentle, jet, judge, large, adjust

91. not was cough

92. kite, cat, duck, antique, Iraq, Christmas
soccer

93. bed, read, friend, leopard, said

94. tub, touch, about, Monday, blood
partner
er

95. rat rhino carry write

96. hot whole

97. big, rubbed

98. phone, gruff, giraffe, fat, laugh

99. lip, apple, full, travel, pupil, idol, final

100. very, have

101. when wet

102. box accept

103. yes

104. people, me, meet, seat, eve, chief,
funny, key, receive, variation

105. pie, like, mild, night, dry, height

106. leisure, seizure, prestige

107. zip, buzz, is, choose, snooze,
xylophone

108. quack

109. chip, ditch

110. shop, machine, sugar

111. this

112. thumb

113. sink, wing

114. table, rain, great, game, say, they, vein,
straight, eight

115. people, me, meet, seat, eve, chief,
funny, key, receive, variation

116. pie, like, mild, night, dry, height

117. cow, out, drought

118. wood, could, put, woman

119. boot, blue, grew, super, suit, flute,
soup, shoe, do, through

120. glass, calm, jar, clerk, heart

121. perfect heard stir fur word

122. most, note, toe, grow, boat, soul, sew,
though

123. toy soil

124. aeroplane, where, their, bear, dare,
chair

125. fraud, fawn, ball, walk, your, for, more,
floor, board, warm, daughter, fought

129. i

133. More here soon, so keep an eye out on
slideshare and keep adding pages to your
SSP Decoding Book
Miss Emma 

134. More here soon !