The English Club- Level 22. The /P/ /f/ sounds
Three- in- a- row- game. In this auditory discrimination game, we try to
assist students in identifying the /P/- /f/ sounds. This exchange of letter
sound is quite common among Israeli students. It can be understandable, since
both sounds are represented by the same letter in Hebrew- The letter /פ /-
'Phey".
Discrimination- the ability to identify the P from F sound may be
affected by that, since in Hebrew both sounds are represented by the letter
/Phey/ symbol). The only clue that we have in Hebrew to help us pronouncing the
visual letter symbol is a small stress mark (a dot within the letter) which
differentiates the stressed Phey sound (P), from the unstressed Phey sound (F).
Once an Israeli pupil turns 9, around third grade, the diacritics are removed.
This changes the shallow orthography into a deep orthography, which requires
advanced capabilities and literacy skills that dyslexics and LDs don't have. This
error transits from pupil's L1 (First language, mother tongue) to L2 (second/
foreign/ target language).
The Hickey Method is a remedial method to correct/ to remediate through intensive
systematic intervention and teach students how to read (How "to
decode"/ "to decipher"). The more complicated reading becomes
the more creative and resourceful we must be in our interventions, aimed
towards going around the organic originated difficulties towards reading.
Ever since dearest Fern Levitt has developed the "English Club
App", I almost stopped using my own designed ("low tech") materials
for The Hickey Method. I use the app. with most of my students. They simply
love it, and this handy, accessible and affordable technological tool makes the
laborious task of learning how to read into a fun game!
Below are links with a lot of information about The Hickey Method, including
my research of The Hickey Method, and the application.
Watch how a 4th grader who has reached level 22 (The purple
workbook) of the "English Club App" plays the game with joy, as she
pronounces the words correctly.
Attached also is a link to downloading this game from the free
downloadable materials on the English Club's internet site.
The specific game described and shown on this video is on pages 4-6.
