Emma Hartnell-Baker is a world-leading expert in teaching neurodivergent children to read and spell, with a proven track record of developing innovative approaches that cater to the unique learning needs of dyslexic students. Her expertise lies in crafting personalised, child-centred learning experiences that simplify the complexities of literacy, making them both accessible and engaging for autistic learners. Through pioneering technology and techniques such as Speech Sound Mapping (SSM), 'Miss Emma' has empowered countless children to overcome barriers in reading and spelling, transforming the experience for those who struggle with school-based synthetic phonics instruction.
Severely dyslexic - Luca was being asked to read these books when he started Speech Sound Mapping - not much fun for an 11-year-old
A Message from Rory's Mum.
When our eldest son was in Grade 3 he was diagnosed with dyslexia. Unfortunately by then the damage was done, his reading age was assessed as being below the age of six (he was 8.5 at the time). The most heart-breaking part of his journey was the devastating effect it had on his self-esteem.
The psychologist at the time introduced me to the Speech Sound Pics SSP approach, which turned out to be life-changing! Under Miss Emma's guidance, we cleared the slate and started his journey again at home after school. He warmed very quickly to the approach and in just five weeks he had increased six reading levels. I am extremely proud to announce that he is now in Grade 6 and reading at grade level!! In fact, he is doing so well that in his LP meeting recently I was questioned whether he even had a learning disability.
This brings us to Rory, our youngest. From a young age, he showed signs of possessing the same strengths and weaknesses as his older brother. Not willing to sit back and watch him suffer the same fate we jumped at the chance to be part of the ICRWY 'Monster Mapping' pilot, he was two months shy of his fifth birthday at the time.
Now at six, he is doing so well, this video is proof of that. This is Rory reading his home reader to me. So proud and so very grateful for Miss Emma and her innovative ideas and approach.
Speech Sound Mapping (SSM) for Dyslexic Learners: Making Sounds Visible
Speech Sound Mapping (SSM) provides dyslexic learners with a structured, visual, and auditory way to understand how words are built. By addressing phonemic awareness deficits, SSM helps children see the sounds and break down words into clear, manageable parts (graphemes), making reading and spelling more intuitive.
How It Works:
Visual and Auditory Mapping:
SSM allows children to both see and hear how words are constructed. Instead of just looking at letters or graphemes and trying to figure out the sounds, SSM maps these visually (with symbols) and links them directly to the sounds (phonemes). This approach helps dyslexic learners, who often struggle with connecting letters to sounds, by giving them a clear visual and auditory representation of each sound and its corresponding grapheme.
Segmented Graphemes for Clarity:
Many dyslexic children find it hard to isolate and recognise sounds in words. SSM breaks words down into their smallest sound units and shows how each sound is represented by a letter or combination of letters. This segmentation makes it easier for children to grasp how words are made up of distinct parts, helping them blend sounds together and decode words more confidently.
Predictability and Structure:
SSM offers a consistent, structured approach, unlike traditional synthetic phonics, where children often struggle to guess or infer sounds. By providing predictable, clear rules and visual clues, SSM reduces the guesswork and gives children the tools to understand exactly which sound each grapheme represents. This predictability is especially helpful for dyslexic learners, who benefit from consistency and clear expectations when learning new words.
Engagement through Sound-Symbol Matching:
Dyslexic children often benefit from engaging with learning materials that make sense visually. SSM taps into this by highlighting the structure of words through clear sound-symbol matching. Each sound in a word is made visible, helping children see the patterns and understand how sounds and letters work together. This makes the reading and spelling process less abstract and more concrete.
Flipping Synthetic Phonics:
In synthetic phonics, children are often asked to look at letters and “say the sound” without any additional support. It is predominantly a 'print to speech' approach. SSM flips this approach by offering both visual and auditory cues. Children can see the sound each letter or grapheme represents, and hear it at the same time with the tech, which helps them build a more solid understanding of how words are formed, rather than relying on memorisation or abstract rules. They are able to SEE and HEAR the 'parts' that make up the words, and all words can be explored. We also pay attention to morphology and etymology eg during 'Snap and Crack' (comprehension) and Rapid Writing (sentence construction, grammar and punctutation)
In Summary:
Speech Sound Mapping (SSM) is designed to make reading and spelling clearer for dyslexic learners. By showing the connection between sounds and letters visually and breaking words into clear, manageable segments, SSM provides both visual and auditory support, helping children with phonemic awareness deficits. This approach makes the process of reading and spelling more structured, predictable, and ultimately less frustrating, compared to traditional synthetic phonics methods, which can often feel inconsistent or confusing for dyslexic learners.
Dyslexia doesn't just affect the child, it affects the whole family. Not the dyslexia so much as the attitudes of those around the child.
Rory's Mum captured this beautifully.
"Last month I was fortunate (and very shocked) to be awarded first prize in the open section of the local CHArts Art of Words competition. I am flattered by the requests I have received for a copy since and apologise if I haven't got back to you.
I do not find it easy to put myself out there but I wrote this story to create awareness, and it's doing anything but sitting in a file on my computer. So here goes nothing...
This is a story about a little boy caught up in a system content on exploiting his weaknesses rather than his strengths. It's important to remember that we all obtain and convey knowledge in different ways. It's not a flaw but a fundamental requirement of our existence.
To the educators out there who are making a difference, I thank you"
#focusonstrengths
Ruth Forrest Jeremy Rockliff Felix Ellis MP Dyslexia Victoria Support Georgia Ryan - Dyslexic Warrior Made By Dyslexia
Emma Hartnell-Baker
*Story remains the property of the owner.
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A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
Tommy sinks further into his chair, damning grey brows hover over him.
“Are you stupid or something?”
Sniggers punctuate the condescending silence where the words hang like stagnant cigarette smoke.
Tommy shakes his head.
“I asked you to document the journey of the First Fleet.” The teacher’s presence closes in. “And all you’ve done is play around with crayons. This is not Kindergarten.”
Tommy turns his nose from the puff of murky breath being fired at him at close range.
“I..I did Sir.” He wasn’t telling lies; he’d spent hours drawing and colouring each part of the map making sure he included every tiny detail, just like the teacher asked. The ships the most fun to draw, all eleven of them.
The teacher’s jaw hardens, “You will spend the remainder of the week in lunchtime detention.” With a devastating swipe he tears the page from the book.
Tears prick the back of the Tommy’s eyes; it takes all his might to keep them from running down his heat ridden cheeks. The bell rings out as the crumpled the piece of paper drops down onto the desk in front of him like a bomb. With a wave of the teacher’s hand the other children snatch at their bags and race for the door. Tommy remains seated. Outside in the corridor his mother will be awaiting his departure with a barrage of questions about his day, hopeful it has been different from the ones before it. He stays because he cannot bear to disappoint her again.
“You’re dismissed.”
Tommy doesn’t move.
Gleeful chatter outside the window roars then fades. The teacher pounds his way out the door where infant whispers grow to sturdy conversations. Tommy sighs and takes his pencil, defiantly he begins to draw, his ear pricking at the peak in his mother’s voice when it bursts through the classroom door.
She approaches, with a quiver she asks, “Where’s the picture you drew darling?”
Sheepish, Tommy pokes the end of his pencil at the crumpled piece of paper now petering on the edge of the desk. She unwraps it; her palms sweeping across it in aggressive motions. The teacher watches on arms crossed tight across his chest.
“You asked for him to document the journey of the First Fleet.” Her head snaps toward the developing scowl. “And he has.”
“I asked for an essay, not a silly drawing.”
Her tightly pressed lips form a despondent smile.
"You see words, he sees pictures. It’s only intolerance that separates them.”
With a gentle tap on the shoulder and a nod toward the door, Tommy knows it’s time to go. He packs his things away and follows his mother.
"Other than to insult, what is your point?” The teacher calls after them.
Tommy’s mother turns, her blazing glare softens, “There’s more than one way to tell a story, Sir. What makes one greater than the other?”
Tommy’s breath returns as his head drops soft against his mother’s arm.