THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading and Spelling Skills)

Thrass is an auditory spelling and reading programme that provides the link between phonemic awareness and graphemes. It teaches the link between letters and sounds and lays the foundation for reading and spelling. Children are taught to blend words to form compound words using auditory strategies and visual clues.

The programme is accompanied by a THRASS chart which offers a choice of phonemes for specific sounds. This chart has become known as the ‘periodic table’ of language.

The programme teaches correct letter formation to encourage neat and legible handwriting.

At St Mary’s Junior School, THRASS is implemented from Grade 0 and continues in the Junior Primary phase. The children learn the phonemes alongside the relevant grapheme with raps and songs.