Speedie Readies: Show the Code! Try the Word Mapping Tool - Show the Graphemes @ SpeedieReadies.com
Word Mapping Mastery®
Why Word Mapping Mastery® Matters
Word Mapping Mastery® matters because it represents the process through which children understand how spoken words connect to written ones. Rather than relying on memorisation or rote recall of “sight words,” learners develop insight into how each phoneme in a spoken word corresponds to graphemes in print. This cognitive process underpins the development of skilled word reading (Ehri, 2014; Share, 1995). Through repeated and meaningful encounters with words, these connections between phonology, orthography, and meaning become consolidated in long-term memory, a process culminating in what Ehri (2014) terms orthographic mapping.
When children reach this point, they are able to recognise and spell familiar and unfamiliar words automatically, freeing cognitive resources for fluency and comprehension (Perfetti et al., 2005; Kilpatrick, 2015). In this sense, Word Mapping Mastery® is not a single skill but a developmental achievement that integrates phonemic awareness, grapheme–phoneme knowledge, and morphological understanding (Bourassa & Treiman, 2003; Ziegler & Goswami, 2005).
This approach supports all learners, particularly those with speech, language and communication needs or dyslexia, by making the structure of English transparent and teachable (Moats, 2005; Bishop & Snowling, 2004). By enabling children to see how the sounds they produce correspond to written symbols, Word Mapping Mastery® builds the foundation for fluent reading and confident spelling.
Despite the evidence supporting this process, there is currently no guidance for teachers of phonics in England on how to map words beyond programme content. Teachers are required to support children in reading and spelling irregular or untaught words, yet most have not been trained in how to identify and represent the full range of grapheme–phoneme correspondences that extend beyond the 100 or so covered by systematic synthetic phonics schemes. Training in Word Mapping Mastery® is therefore vital. It provides the missing bridge between phonics instruction and real-world literacy, equipping teachers with the linguistic understanding to help every child connect speech, print, and meaning.
Teaching Assistants who lead Speedie Readies learn about this process by exploring words and stories with children, applying phoneme–grapheme mapping in authentic reading contexts that nurture comprehension, curiosity, and joy. They don't need to know how to map words before they start, as 'The Code is Shown'. And if not, they can 'Check the Tech'!
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References
Bishop, D. V. M., & Snowling, M. J. (2004). Developmental dyslexia and specific language impairment: Same or different? Psychological Bulletin, 130(6), 858–886. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.130.6.858
Bourassa, D. C., & Treiman, R. (2003). Spelling in children with dyslexia: Analyses from the Treiman–Bourassa Early Spelling Test. Scientific Studies of Reading, 7(4), 309–333. https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532799XSSR0704_1
Ehri, L. C. (2014). Orthographic mapping in the acquisition of sight word reading, spelling memory, and vocabulary learning. Scientific Studies of Reading, 18(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2013.819356
Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Wiley.
Moats, L. C. (2005). Language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling (LETRS). Sopris West.
Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 227–247). Blackwell.
Share, D. L. (1995). Phonological recoding and self-teaching: Sine qua non of reading acquisition. Cognition, 55(2), 151–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277(94)00645-2
Ziegler, J. C., & Goswami, U. (2005). Reading acquisition, developmental dyslexia, and skilled reading across languages: A psycholinguistic grain size theory. Psychological Bulletin, 131(1), 3–29. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.131.1.3
Emma Hartnell-Baker has been teaching Australian teachers how to map words using a universal code that accounts for variations such as accents for more than ten years. She is now back in England, delivering training to those supporting children with diverse learning needs, including through PATOSS, while undertaking doctoral research at the University of Reading. With a Master’s degree in Special Educational Needs from the University of Nottingham, ‘Miss Emma’ holds dual residency between England and Australia and currently lives in Dorset.
She is AuDHD, and while her pattern-seeking mind has led to the creation of the world’s first 'Code Mapping' algorithm capable of mapping all English words, as well as the first one-screen AAC developed with Innovate UK funding, she admits that she sometimes finds it difficult to ‘sugar-coat’ her message. Too many children are becoming instructional casualties, and the very things she loved about teaching, such as relationships, singing, playing, building, and exploring, are not valued highly by decision makers. Her neurodivergence drives her to seek solutions rather than discussion, and to see children as individuals rather than labels. She has considered giving up the quest to immunise children against illiteracy and to champion personalised, self-directed learning many times, as there is a mental price to challenging the status quo, but her conviction keeps her going. If you share her belief that prevention starts early, get involved with the Speedie Readies system. A Teaching Assistant can offer one-to-one support to children in Reception from Term 2, with little to no training and minimal cost to the school.
TAs can also join a support group to get the very most out of the system. Team work make the dream work!
All words mapped orthographically
In the Speedie Readies system, all words are mapped orthographically to make every phoneme–grapheme correspondence (GPC) visible. This includes, and especially prioritises, commonly used words such as said, was, and the.
Within systematic synthetic phonics programmes, these words are introduced as tricky or exception words, with attention drawn to the parts that do not align neatly with the GPCs already taught. This aligns with guidance from the DfE.
By mapping all words orthographically, Speedie Readies ensures that every correspondence is visible from the outset. Children can see the full code, and begin to make sense of English’s opaque orthography.
For example, in said, children can see that the /e/ phoneme is represented by ai, which also appears in words such as again. In was and the, they can identify the phonemes precisely and understand how those sound–symbol links fit within the broader system.
Mapping all words orthographically ensures consistency across the code. It strengthens orthographic learning, supports self-teaching, and builds confidence by showing that every word, however irregular it may appear, can be understood once its phoneme–grapheme structure is made visible.
