AGILITY WITH SOUND
The Agility With Sound intervention was a pilot to gauge its efficacy in supporting those students in
Year 5 who were reading well below their peers. This Programme was designed by Betsy Sewell as an
Intervention for older children who have struggled to learn to read. Midway in term 1 students were
selected and tested according to Agility with Sounds tests. This highlighted children who had a
weakness in sound to letter knowledge. We started in Week 6 with 3 groups of 4 children for 3 half hour
sessions a week. This continued consistently throughout Term 2.
Year 5 who were reading well below their peers. This Programme was designed by Betsy Sewell as an
Intervention for older children who have struggled to learn to read. Midway in term 1 students were
selected and tested according to Agility with Sounds tests. This highlighted children who had a
weakness in sound to letter knowledge. We started in Week 6 with 3 groups of 4 children for 3 half hour
sessions a week. This continued consistently throughout Term 2.
However in Term 3, I was required temporarily to be fulltime in our New Entrant space as we had a new
teacher start. At this time though I supported Hannah West initially and then Migi Sio also into
incorporating the Agility of Sound lessons into their Year 5 classroom reading programme with the
children who had become familiar with it in my small groups. This meant that I was able to test and take
on 7 more children, starting in Week 4. Unfortunately as the New Entrant enrolments had increased, by
Week 7 I was required to be back fulltime in my classroom so the withdrawal group Agility With Sound
programme was unable to be continued.
teacher start. At this time though I supported Hannah West initially and then Migi Sio also into
incorporating the Agility of Sound lessons into their Year 5 classroom reading programme with the
children who had become familiar with it in my small groups. This meant that I was able to test and take
on 7 more children, starting in Week 4. Unfortunately as the New Entrant enrolments had increased, by
Week 7 I was required to be back fulltime in my classroom so the withdrawal group Agility With Sound
programme was unable to be continued.
11 students initially started in Term 1 Week 6. However one left Pt England School, and one got replaced
after the first term because of her attendance. Four other students were taken on
(Two in Term 1 Week 8, one in Week 9 and one in Term 2 Week 1).
Of these students, seven had a 15 week, and one a 10 week intervention with me then continued the
programme with their teacher. Four of these students continued the withdrawal programme with the
new intake of students in Term 3 which was able to be continued for only 3 more weeks.
after the first term because of her attendance. Four other students were taken on
(Two in Term 1 Week 8, one in Week 9 and one in Term 2 Week 1).
Of these students, seven had a 15 week, and one a 10 week intervention with me then continued the
programme with their teacher. Four of these students continued the withdrawal programme with the
new intake of students in Term 3 which was able to be continued for only 3 more weeks.
Despite the programme not being as consistent as was hoped, both the classroom teachers and I could
see that the children’s decoding skills increased as did their confidence. This was particularly evident
with the students who had consistent attendance and who practised at home. There were some pleasing
shifts in reading levels for a few, while others who, although didn’t make the expected gain, still did shift.
see that the children’s decoding skills increased as did their confidence. This was particularly evident
with the students who had consistent attendance and who practised at home. There were some pleasing
shifts in reading levels for a few, while others who, although didn’t make the expected gain, still did shift.
The transitioning of the programme into the classrooms was well supported. I felt it was really important
that the resources needed for it had to be able to be managed well, so that there was little setting up time.
This enabled as many components as possible to be incorporated in the time available for each group.
This meant also establishing systems where the students could practise certain elements independent
of the teacher. The teachers involved felt that the classroom programme we established together was
both manageable and effective.
that the resources needed for it had to be able to be managed well, so that there was little setting up time.
This enabled as many components as possible to be incorporated in the time available for each group.
This meant also establishing systems where the students could practise certain elements independent
of the teacher. The teachers involved felt that the classroom programme we established together was
both manageable and effective.
Chart Showing Individual Students’ Reading Progress In Relation To Weeks On
Withdrawal Programme
Withdrawal Programme
Individual Students (Weeks on AWS)
