Thrass - Teaching Handwriting, Reading, and Spelling Skills.
A few weeks ago my new Principal sent myself (as Team Leader for 1/2s in 2018), the Curriculum Leader and the Prep Team to the THRASS conference at the Geelong Rydges Hotel.
Michelle Tham presented THRASS over two days. Myself and my colleagues went in with an open mind about what THRASS could do for our students. I think it is important to note that when attending PD's that you should think critically about how and what impacts, the information presented can have on your teaching and your school.
I myself have previously use Jolly Phonics as a spelling tool (not the program) to help students hear and record sounds. According to THRASS this is a Phonographic approach, whereas THRASS comes from a Graphophonic approach.
^ THRASS Chart - Consonant Sounds on top, Vowel Sounds on the Bottom and the Jolly Phonics spelling choices/sounds.
We learned a lot about how to use a dictionary and the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) to correctly pronounce words. THRASS uses the IPA in its chart. It is also important to note that THRASS is a tool - not a program. My colleagues and I have decided that the information we gained and what we learned will help our students to be problem solvers when making spelling choices and we will be implementing is in the junior years in 2018. Some of us have begun trialing it already!
One of the Prep students has already told their teacher, "this chart is way better than our other alphabet one!"
Gold!
We learned what a 'schwa' sound is in the english language which is a vowel sound that sounds a bith like 'eugh'!
^ This is the 'shwa' sound most common spelling choices.