Bellis (2003) reports that individuals with dyslexia have an integration deficit subtype of auditory processing disorder (APD or CAPD). Dyslexic individuals have difficulty with any task that involves interhemispheric communication. For example, these individuals exhibit difficulties in relating visual symbols (right hemisphere) with sound (left hemisphere). Thus, sight words cannot be learned because oral vocabulary words on the left hemisphere cannot be integrated with written sight words on the right because of the lack of interhemispheric communication. Likewise, sounds and sound sequences (left hemisphere) cannot be associated with letters and letter sequences (right hemisphere)needed for letter-sound association and phonics. This results in a devastating affect on rapid sight-word recognition, word-attack skills, reading fluency, and reading speed (Bellis, 2003).
Other alphabets require children to have intact corpus collosum transfer. They are based on word associations. "a" is for "apple," "b" is for "beautiful buttons" all require children to think of words (left brain) associated with letters (right brain). The pictures of the words on the wall board are of little use, because the apple or button have nothing to do with the letter. Instead, the word "apple" must be treated as an auditory concept (left brain), mentally divided into its sounds (a-p-l)(left brain), and the first sound isolated and held in memory while the sounds of the rest of the word are deleted (a) (p-l) (left brain). Then this abstract auditory concept of a sound must cross the corpus collosum and attach to the visual letter, which is exactly what children with dyslexia cannot do. The world of letters and sounds soon becomes very confusing and frustrating.
Phonic Faces compensate for this deficit by placing both the letter and sound information on the right side of the brain. Thus, the child can learn the meaning of the letters by attaching the visual form of the letter to the visual mouth position used to make the sound. When you look at the letter, it looks like what your mouth needs to do. When you see a "b" it looks like your lower lip. Bounce your lower lip and the sound is naturally produced. There are no confusing associations with apples or beautiful buttons to negotiate. The meaning of the letters can be learned and retrieved without having to rely on interhemispheric integration. Phonic Faces work where all other types of alphabets fail with dyslexic individuals.
All phonemic awareness and phonic skills can be taught using Phonic Faces. Learning letter-sounds, phonemic awareness, sound blending, and phonic rules are easily accomplished using Phonic Faces. Each are taught visually, bypassing the interhemispheric transfer deficit of dyslexia. The Phonic Faces manual provides all of the information needed to assure success for dyslexic learners.
Bellis, T. J. (2003). Assessment and management of central auditory processing disorders in the educational setting: From science to practice. (2nd ed.) Canada: Delmar Learning.
