RSvP™ Step by Step uses only 7 diacritical marks for the 18 sounds students must learn in the program. Remember, students are learning only what is regular in the language. Past studies have determined that as many as 85% of English words are regular. That is, the spelling patterns of the words translate into the sounds they are expected to make one of the sounds in the “family” of sounds.
For instance, the spelling pattern ai makes the sound we hear in rain, paid, mail, and train—all regular words. However, eight, rein, veil and great, break, and steak would be considered irregular words because each spelling pattern in these words begins with e yet each pattern is making an a sound. On the other hand, words such as have, carry, want, and shall display patterns of a that indicate other sounds of a, and by using “flexibility,” or the context, the student quickly arrives at the correct pronunciation of the word. When we teach the sounds in the English language, the student finds learning the vowel sounds is fun because each vowel makes at least 3 different sounds in 6 different spelling patterns, and the vowel Oo makes 7 different sounds in 12 spelling patterns.
RSvP™ Step by Step makes the English language REGULAR and it makes the language PREDICTABLE. Students learn what is regular first and then they are better able to assimilate what is irregular and to understand why certain words are considered irregular.