What is Sound Bites? Sound Bites is a student-centered phonics program designed to help emergent and at-risk readers become successful readers. Sound Bites consists of the following four books:• Book 1: Vowels (with diphthongs and r-controlled vowels)• Book 2: Consonants• Book 3: Consonant Blends (with digraphs)• Book 4: Ending SoundsHow does Sound Bites develop reading proficiency?The answer to this question relies on the interweaving of three essential cueing systems. • The first cueing system is semantics (context that makes sense). • The second cueing system is syntactic (structure that is clear and grammar that is correct). • The third cueing system is grapho-phonics (what looks right visually and sounds right phonetically). Phonics alone does not assure the comprehension of text. All three cueing systems must work together to produce optimal results.Sound Bites includes a compilation of information designed to open the door for the grapho-phonics cueing system.What specific techniques are recommended, using the three cueing systems?1. When proficient readers encounter an unfamiliar word, they look for unique features in the word. For example, the word knowledge includes the word know. This indicates that knowledge has something to do with knowing. The word grandmother is made up of two words, grand and mother. This compound word indicates that a grandmother is a special kind of relative. Consider the word birthday. The words birth and day identify this special event in a person’s life. 2. Picture clues such as illustrations, numbers, charts, and symbols also come into play when a reader works to understand text.3. Knowledge of letter-sound relationships helps the proficient reader to identify unfamiliar words. Sound Bites is designed to acquaint readers with the many letter-sound relationships inherent in countless words.4. The affixes that are attached to a word often provide clues to the clarification of a word. For example, the suffix ful added to the word beauty creates the word beautiful, which means “full of beauty.”5.Last, but certainly not least, the context that surrounds an unknown word may also provide clues that reveal the meaning of the word. What are ways that Sound Bites may be incorporated into an existing phonics program?Sound Bites is not intended to be used in any single prescribed way. How the four books in the Sound Bites series are used should be determined by a teacher’s instructional objectives and the phonics proficiency of the students. Suggested approaches include: • Beginning Readers—Whole GroupIn this approach, students work together with the teacher and receive the same instruction. • Beginning Readers—Small GroupIn this approach, a small group of new readers with similar phonics needs receive the same instruction. • At-risk and Challenged Readers—Whole GroupIn this approach, at-risk and challenged readers are also grouped according to phonics needs. • At-risk and Challenged Readers—Small GroupIn this approach, a small group of at-risk or challenged readers are grouped according to phonics needs as determined by diagnosis and/or assessment. • Self-Instruction—IndividualizedIn this approach, each student works independently to complete the skill studies in one or more of the books in the Sound Bites series. Before students work independently, the teacher reviews the Table of Contents to familiarize the student with the skills explored in each book. Next, the teacher points out the unique features of each lesson, noting where students are to add their own words. Lastly, the teacher determines the manner in which the student will proceed—sequentially through each book, practicing each skill or by assigning skills in a specific order. With both methods, theteacher must frequently check each student’s responses, progress, and accuracy. This follow up, along with written comments, is essential.