The Innovate UK funded MyWordz® word mapping technology provides real-time guidance, helping the TA support each child while showing how speech and print connect. Part of the tech is MySpeekie®, the first one-screen AAC for non-speaking children. The speech-to-print connection can be formed without the need to produce speech.
 

It complements whole-class phonics instruction, regardless of programme, so TA sessions never conflict with classroom teaching. Children are shown the orthographic code, so also ideal for those with hearing difficulties.

The updated Monster Spelling Piano app for tablets enables at least 90% of children to pass the PSC by the end of Reception. That result will please Bridget Phillipson in the schools we are supporting in England, but for us the real goal is different: it frees up time to focus on reading for pleasure, not on being explicitly taught more GPCs.

Teachers have 25 or more children to support, which is why whole-class instruction is so popular, as easier to manage learning that way, yet one in five children in Reception need one-to-one time that teachers simply do not have.
 

The TA spends ten minutes a day with the children identified as at risk in Term 1 until they reach the point of self-teaching.

Week 1

The TA learns to identify early indicators of dyslexia risk using the Monster Spelling Piano app for tablets and becomes familiar with the Phonemies®.

Week 2

The TA uses the activities in the Speedie Readies handbook (available in the shop from 1 November) and begins to explore word mapping with the children using the MyWordz® technology, funded by Innovate UK. They learn alongside the children.

Week 3

Children start reading mapped stories that make the grapheme–phoneme structure of each word visible. This bridges early phonological work with connected-text reading, supporting decoding, spelling, and self-teaching.

Children love these stories, and because the orthographic code is made visible, all words become decodable regardless of their existing knowledge. They quickly begin to enjoy reading and want to find out what happens next.
 

The process continues until the child has worked through the 36 pre-readers, followed by the 16 introductory readers. These 52 orthographically mapped stories are available in The Reading Corner (members area). Parents can join - £5.75 per month.
 

After that, they can move on to the 20 Blue Platform readers, which are code mapped (without Phonemies).
 

By the time they reach the 20 Main Readers, they are reading to learn, no longer learning to read.
 

Although this pilot focuses on Reception and Year 1, it can also extend to include Year 2 children who are still consolidating the core code.

A separate KS2 pilot is being developed using new story materials designed for age-appropriate engagement.

Budget
 

The Speedie Readies bundle is £225, which includes the Speech Sound Play pack, and the first 36 readers in hard copy form. The technology costs around £130 per year, providing monthly access to all 100 books in the online library. Order at SpeedieReadies.com
 

In Year 2 of running Speedie Readies, you already have the hard copy resources, so only the technology subscription is required.

Budget for £450 in Year 1 (approx. AU$900) and £130 (approx. AU$260) per year thereafter.
 

The savings from supporting children upstream will amount to thousands per cohort.

Let’s stop the Wait to Fail approach.
 

Learn more about Speedie Readies in schools to provide upstream screening and a prevention of reading difficulties at the official Speedie Readies site with The Reading Corner. https://www.SpeedieReadies.com