Brooklyn Letters (Online Speech Language Therapy, Literacy & Math Tutoring)
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We were delighted with Christie. First, and most importantly, our son made great strides under her guidance. So great, that we felt he no longer needed help! She was incredibly patient and kind with him and our son really responded to … More her. Christie was also great with me and my wife. She provided thorough and informative updates on our son's progress and which exercises she was using with him, so we could reinforce what she was teaching him. All in all, we had a fabulous experience with Christie and would highly recommend her. -
Our experience with Theo was terrific. Theo was great with my son. He developed a positive relationship with him based on sincerity, respect, trust and a deep personal connection. In their lessons, Theo was encouraging, creative and kind. … More He helped our son understand how to differentiate the sounds he made when he spoke, and gave him great exercises to practice every week between lessons. Our son was sorry to have the lessons come to an end, but recognized that Theo had helped him as much as possible and it was time for him to stop. Theo explained to him (and us) how to keep working to get the last 5%, and encouraged him to keep working on the exercises on his own. I have recommended Theo to another parent who noticed my son's improvement and inquired for her own son.
We are all grateful to have gotten to know Theo, and we greatly appreciate all the work he did to help our son. -
Theo is a wonderful Clinton Hill speech therapist. We were really pleased with him. Our son showed drastic improvement, not only in his speech but in his confidence. -
Alexa has been an enthusiastic, reliable, well prepared and caring teacher for our 6 year old daughter. She has been able to improve and increase our daughter's confidence lesson by lesson with patience and competence; through varied … More and productive didactic practice. Alexa has engaged our daughter in several activities that always kept her motivated and eager to learn literacy. My wife and I, both of us are educators, feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to observe Alexa's pedagogical skills. Alexa has had a big impact on our daughter literacy growth. Thank you Brooklyn Letters! -
We were absolutely DELIGHTED with Marsha's services. She was wonderful. We found her to be kind, fun, engaging, very knowledgeable. She provided us with clear instructions and additional written handouts each week. She engaged our … More son with different techniques and toys, and showed us how to use her techniques when we were interacting with him. I actually just texted her on Saturday - Our son finally said "more" - one of the target words we had been working on with her. It was a total joy to hear, and I had to share it with her - she wrote back immediately to congratulate us. I am so appreciative of her expertise, and wish we could have seen her for longer. I recommended her to another family in our neighborhood who is looking for a speech therapist.
Language is a symphony of sounds, a tapestry of phonemes that form words and convey meaning. In English, this symphony is composed of 44 distinct phonemes, each with its unique sound and role in communication. Today, we embark on a journey to unravel the intricate beauty of these phonemes and understand how they shape our spoken and written expressions.
Consonants: The Building Blocks Of Words
Let’s begin with the consonants. These sounds are produced when the vocal tract’s airflow is partially or completely obstructed. English boasts 24 consonant phonemes, encompassing a wide range of sounds. From the voiceless “p” in “pat” to the voiced “v” in “van,” these phonemes serve as the building blocks of words. They create the structural framework upon which vowels and other elements of language are hung.
Vowels: The Heartbeat Of Language
Let’s delve into the 20 vowel phonemes that infuse life and melody into English. The openness of the vocal tract characterizes vowels, and their pronunciation varies based on tongue position and lip rounding. The English language is renowned for its complex vowel system, with sounds like the long “ee” in “beet” and the short “oo” in “book.” Vowels are the heartbeat of language, giving words their rhythm and nuance.
Diphthongs: The Dynamic Duos
In addition to the consonants and pure vowels, English also features diphthongs—combinations of two vowel sounds within a single syllable. These dynamic duos, like the “oi” in “coin” and the “ow” in “cow,” add yet another layer of complexity to the English phonemic landscape. They often result from the gliding movement of the tongue during pronunciation.
The Role Of Phonemes In Literacy
Understanding these 44 phonemes is not just an exercise in linguistic curiosity; it’s a vital skill for literacy and language acquisition. Phonemic awareness, the ability to recognize and manipulate individual phonemes, is a fundamental building block of reading and writing. Educators use phonics, a method that teaches the relationship between phonemes and written letters, to help children decode words and become proficient readers.
