Explicit Phonics

CCA uses a multi-sensory, brain-based approach for teaching phonics, spelling, reading, handwriting, and grammar. 

 

Our academic program uses Access Literacy which is closely aligned to Riggs Phonics. Instead of memorizing whole words, we teach the 71 letter-sound (phonogram) combinations used in the English language, beginning with the easiest sight-to-sound correspondences, and working towards those that are most complex. CCA does not utilize "sight" words in the instruction of reading and uses explicit phonics to enable students to decode words for reading, writing and comprehension.  

 

Syllabication is critical to a proper understanding of letter-sound relations and is taught from the beginning of kindergarten. 

 

Students use our phonics program for learning spelling and vocabulary.  This is also used with our strong focus on handwriting, which will include cursive handwriting. 

 

Our teachers use multi-sensory instruction, which addresses all "learning styles", regardless of whether a student has strengths in auditory, visual, verbal, or motor areas of the brain.