Ep. 185: Understanding the How and Why of Sound Walls with Mary Dahlgren

Sound wall expert Mary Dahlgren explains how sound walls differ from word walls, why it's important to teach all 44 speech sounds, and how sound walls can help students make sense of English. She shares evidence to support the use of sound walls in your classroom and gives practical advice for implementation. 

• Sound walls are an instructional tool to help students see and understand the 44 speech sounds of the English language.
• Sound walls provide a visual representation of the sounds and their corresponding spellings. 
• Sound walls help students make connections between sounds and letters.
• Sound walls support phonological awareness, phonics instruction, and the development of decoding skills.
• Sound walls are beneficial for all students, including English learners, as they provide a structured and visual approach to learning the sounds of the English language. Teachers should be aware of the different phonemes in their students' languages and teach the phonemes in English.

• Sound Walls: A Tool for Students to Use by Mary Dahlgren

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

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