About Articulation

Making sounds, is a unique feature of Word Work, a decoding and spelling program for K-2nd grade. Numerous studies have shown that students are more likely to become competent decoders and spellers if they have an awareness of speech sounds. In this program, the basic consonants are introduced as collections of sounds that are produced or articulated in a similar fashion. This segment of the curriculum is introduced in a relatively brief time, but serves as a vital link between letters and sounds throughout the entire course of study. Note that the consonants are not taught individually, and in fact relatively little time is spent on them in the program. This approach may surprise you, but research shows that students actually learn consonants with little difficulty; the vowels are the challenge, and so the program devotes the most time to them.

"The Importance of Articulation"

Long before phonological awareness became a main focus of reading research, it was suggested that we pay attention to the connection between cognitive ability and oral motor movements when looking at language development (Ladefoged, 1975; Stetson, 1951). The relationship between articulation and reading ability has been empirically confirmed (Calfee & Lindamood, 1973) and conceptualized by Liberman and Mattingly (1985) into the ‘Motor theory of speech perception’.

The motor theory of speech perception provides a valid construct as a basis for metacognitive strategies and allows for an answer to a metacognitive strategy that goes beyond a memory strategy, and provides an answer on both an epistemological level (i.e. How do you know to spell it that way?) and a strategic level (i.e. How do you read an unfamiliar word?). Despite evidence supporting the importance of articulation for early reading acquisition, few programs have incorporated this element. The motor theory of speech perception is the basis for the Lindamood’s ADD and Calfee’s (1998) WordWork program.

"How to talk about it?"

Teacher asks: "I noticed that you spelled 'dime' d-i-m-e. How did you know to build it that way?

Student responds: "I stretched it out so I could hear the sounds better. The first sound /d/ is a popping sound I make in the middle of my mouth. My voice box is vibrating and my tongue is touching the roof of my mouth, so it has to start with a 'd'. The 'i' is saying its name, so buddy 'e' is at the end to remind it to do that. The last sound I hear is /m/. That's a nosey sound and my lips are together, so it's an 'm'.