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When it comes to learning how to read, phonemic awareness is foundational. Research from the Science of Reading (SoR) confirms that without a strong ability to hear, identify, and manipulate sounds in spoken language, children struggle to connect those sounds to letters and words on a page.
The Robinson Reading System (RRS) places phonemic awareness at the core of its instruction, ensuring that students develop a deep understanding of the sounds of English before encountering the complexities of standard English spelling. This linguistic approach makes reading instruction more accessible, particularly for struggling readers and children with dyslexia.
What is Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the smallest units of sound (phonemes) in spoken words. It is an essential pre-reading skill because it allows children to:
✅ Identify individual sounds (e.g., /c/ in cat)
✅ Blend sounds together to form words (e.g., /c/ + /a/ + /t/ → cat)
✅ Segment words into sounds (e.g., cat → /c/ /a/ /t/)
✅ Manipulate phonemes (e.g., changing the /c/ in cat to /m/ to make mat)
Studies show that students who develop strong phonemic awareness before learning letter-sound relationships are far more successful in reading and spelling (National Reading Panel, 2000).
How the Robinson Reading System Compares to Other Programs
Many reading programs incorporate phonemic awareness but do not prioritize it as explicitly or systematically as RRS.
Approach | How Phonemic Awareness is Taught |
Balanced Literacy (Whole Language) | Assumes phonemic awareness will develop naturally through exposure to print; lacks explicit instruction. |
Traditional Phonics Programs | Introduce some phonemic awareness but move too quickly into letter-sound relationships, often leaving struggling readers behind. |
Orton-Gillingham (OG) | Includes phonemic awareness but primarily focuses on teaching phonics rules and spelling patterns. |
Robinson Reading System (RRS) | Builds a strong foundation in phonemic awareness by explicitly teaching the most common spellings of the sounds of English first. |
Why Phonemic Awareness is Critical for Struggling Readers
🔹 Children with dyslexia often struggle with phonemic awareness, making it difficult for them to connect sounds to letters. RRS ensures these students have a solid foundation in sound recognition.
🔹 Many struggling readers rely on memorization rather than decoding. Without phonemic awareness, they may guess words instead of truly reading them. RRS prevents this by reinforcing decoding practice.
🔹 Phonemic awareness training improves spelling skills. Because RRS integrates phonemic awareness with spelling, students develop both decoding and encoding skills simultaneously.
Conclusion: Phonemic Awareness is the First Step to Reading Success
The Science of Reading has proven that phonemic awareness is the strongest predictor of reading success—and the Robinson Reading System builds this skill explicitly and systematically.
By teaching the sounds of English first explicitly and at the level of each student, RRS ensures that every student, regardless of ability, has a strong foundation for reading and spelling success.
The Robinson Reading System is built upon the principles of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, a structured, multisensory method designed to help individuals, particularly those with dyslexia, develop strong reading and spelling skills. Dr. Martha Robinson, the creator of the Robinson Code, recognized the power of OG’s explicit, systematic instruction and further refined it by incorporating linguistic insights, particularly from the development of Pinyin for Mandarin.
OG has been a cornerstone of reading instruction for nearly a century. It remains one of the most effective methods for teaching phonics systematically and is the foundation for many modern literacy programs.
What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
Developed in the 1930s by Dr. Samuel T. Orton, a neurologist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist, OG was one of the first reading interventions to specifically address dyslexia and language-based learning difficulties. Unlike traditional phonics programs that assume all students progress at the same pace, OG is highly structured, multisensory, and individualized to meet the needs of struggling readers.
Foundational Principles of Orton-Gillingham
1. Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative
OG follows a step-by-step approach, beginning with basic phonemes and letter-sound correspondences before introducing more complex spelling rules and language patterns.
Each skill builds upon previously mastered concepts, ensuring students develop a solid foundation before moving forward.
2. Multisensory (VAKT: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Tactile)
The OG approach engages multiple senses to reinforce learning, making it particularly effective for students with dyslexia. Activities include:
Visual: Looking at letters and words.
Auditory: Saying sounds out loud and listening to them.
Kinesthetic: Writing letters in the air or tracing them in sand.
Tactile: Feeling textured letters or using manipulatives.
By involving multiple pathways in the brain, OG helps students better retain and retrieve reading skills.
3. Explicit and Direct Instruction
Students are explicitly taught each phonetic rule, rather than being expected to infer patterns on their own.
Teachers model and guide students through structured practice, ensuring mastery before moving to new concepts.
4. Diagnostic and Prescriptive
OG instruction is tailored to the individual learner.
Teachers continuously assess progress, identifying areas of difficulty and adapting instruction accordingly.
This individualized approach ensures that no student is left behind and that instruction meets each learner’s unique needs.
5. Synthetic and Analytic Phonics
Synthetic phonics: Students learn to blend individual sounds (phonemes) into whole words (e.g., /c/ + /a/ + /t/ = cat).
Analytic phonics: Students learn to break whole words into individual sounds or syllables to understand their structure.
This dual focus helps students develop both decoding and spelling skills, strengthening their overall literacy abilities.
6. Language-Based
OG teaches students how the English language works, including:
Phonics – Sound-symbol relationships.
Syllable types – How to divide and read multisyllabic words.
Morphology – Understanding prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
Syntax – How words and sentences are structured.
Semantics – The meaning of words and their relationships.
Instead of relying on rote memorization, students learn why words are spelled the way they are and develop strategies for decoding new vocabulary independently.
7. Emotionally Sound and Success-Oriented
Learning to read can be frustrating for struggling students, which is why OG emphasizes confidence-building and individualized pacing.
Small, achievable successes help prevent discouragement and ensure students progress at their own pace.
This approach fosters independence and a positive attitude toward reading.
Why the Orton-Gillingham Approach Matters
Orton-Gillingham has stood the test of time because it aligns with how the brain learns to read. By incorporating explicit phonics instruction, multisensory engagement, and individualized support, OG:
✅ Supports struggling readers, including those with dyslexia.
✅ Provides a systematic and logical approach to English spelling and reading.
✅ Fosters independent reading skills by ensuring students understand language structure.
The Robinson Reading System and Orton-Gillingham
The Robinson Reading System takes the foundational principles of OG and refines them further using a linguistic approach inspired by Pinyin. By focusing on phonemic transparency and the 41 sounds of English, the Robinson Code makes it easier for learners to decode words before transitioning into the complexities of English spelling.
The goal of both Orton-Gillingham and the Robinson Reading System is the same: to provide an effective, research-based way to teach reading that gives all learners, regardless of their challenges, the tools they need to succeed.
By making literacy more accessible and structured, these approaches ensure that no reader is left behind.
