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Pre-Reading Tutoring with Foundations in Sounds
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HOW FOUNDATION IN SOUNDS WORKS
What is Foundations in Sounds?
Foundations in Sounds (FIS) is a pre-reading program designed for students who are not yet ready to begin formal reading instruction. Before a child can learn to read, they need strong auditory processing skills — the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the sounds in spoken language. Foundations in Sounds builds exactly those skills.
Unlike programs that jump straight into letter-sound relationships, FIS starts earlier — at the level of sound itself. Students develop the phonemic awareness that makes all later reading and spelling instruction stick. For students who struggle to pass the Barton Reading and Spelling screening, FIS is typically the right starting point.
FIS is not a remediation program for older students who have already learned to read. It is a foundation-builder for students whose auditory processing skills are not yet ready to support formal literacy instruction.
STUDENTS THAT BENEFIT MOST
Is Foundations in Sounds the Right Fit?
FIS is designed for students who are not yet ready to begin the Barton Reading and Spelling System. A student may be a strong candidate if they:
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Did not pass the Barton student screening
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Have difficulty distinguishing or remembering spoken sounds
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Struggle with rhyming, syllables, or sound blending
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Are in early elementary and showing early signs of reading difficulty
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Have been diagnosed with dyslexia or an auditory processing challenge
There is no minimum age requirement. FIS is appropriate for young children in early elementary as well as older students who have significant gaps in phonemic awareness.
WHAT FOUNDATIONS IN SOUNDS TEACHES
Building the Skills That Make Reading Possible
Each session in Foundations in Sounds focuses on building one or more of the core auditory skills that underlie all reading and spelling. Skills are introduced in a deliberate sequence, and students must demonstrate mastery before advancing.
Sound Discrimination
Students learn to hear the difference between similar sounds — a critical skill for distinguishing words like "bat" and "pat" or "ship" and "chip."
Sound Sequencing
Students identify the order of sounds within words and syllables, developing the processing speed and accuracy that reading requires.
Auditory Memory
Students practice holding sequences of sounds in working memory, building the capacity needed to decode multi-syllable words later in Barton.
Phonemic Awareness
Students blend, segment, and manipulate sounds in spoken words — the foundational skill that is the strongest predictor of reading success.
THE PATH FORWARD
From Foundations in Sounds to Barton
Foundations in Sounds is designed to be completed and moved beyond. Once a student demonstrates readiness — by passing the Barton student screening — they transition directly into the Barton Reading and Spelling System, where they begin formal reading and spelling instruction.
This progression is not a detour. It is the most efficient path for students whose auditory skills are not yet ready to support Barton. Students who begin FIS and move into Barton typically make faster, more confident progress than students who start Barton before they are ready.
1-on-1
Live online sessions FIS
2x/wk
Recommended frequency
Barton
Next Step After FIS
HOW IT COMPARES
Foundations in Sounds vs Other Pre-Reading Approaches
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FIS vs general phonics apps: FIS is live, tutor-led, and mastery-based — not self-paced software that moves on before a student is ready
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FIS vs kindergarten phonics instruction: Classroom phonics moves quickly across many students. FIS is 1-on-1, targeted at the specific gaps each student has
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FIS vs waiting to see if a child catches up: Research consistently shows that early, targeted intervention produces better outcomes than watchful waiting for students with phonemic awareness deficits
COMMON QUESTIONS
What Parents Want to Know
Ready to find out where your child should start?
A free consultation helps us understand your child's current skills, determine the right starting point, and answer any questions you have about the process.
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