Emmaus Christian School

Spalding Phonics 

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Spalding Phonics and Phonograms in the Curriculum at Emmaus

Using Phonics and Phonograms in the Curriculum is critical for successful reading and spelling. At Emmaus Christian School, using phonics begins in Kindergarten and is a core part of the curriculum from that point on.

Emmaus Christian School's phonic program is based on Spalding's Writing Road to Reading.

The Spalding Method is the basis for our Spelling, Reading and Handwriting curriculum. Instruction begins by teaching the sounds of and letter formation for the 71 phonograms, which are the common correct spelling patterns of the 45 sounds of English speech. The intent is to enable students to also correctly spell and write what they can hear and say.

The method moves logically and directly from the known sounds teaching the unknown symbols which represent them in print.

Each child's learning style is addressed because they SEE the symbol, HEAR the teacher SAY the sound, they repeat or SAY the sounds and WRITE the symbols from dictated, oral instructions.

Margins and spacing, as well as letter formation are all stressed from the beginning in

Spalding. The student learns to listen intently, to process oral information and act upon it.

In Spalding phonics, Spelling begins early and is taught through phonetic analysis, 47 spelling rules, plural and syllabication rules, and a "memory device" marking system.

It precedes reading instruction, though all spelling words are read and used in oral and written sentences. The 47 spelling rules are taught by application, not by rote, as they are needed in the spelling-vocabulary list.

Using Spalding Phonics and Phonograms in the Curriculum will pay big dividends for the student as is demonstrated by Emmaus Christian School's high average SAT test scores.