Training courses
Introduction
Our courses aim to equip teachers and teacher aides with the word level teaching expertise to empower children with the skills and confidence they need to achieve early independence in their reading and writing. Parents and non-teachers are welcome at all courses.
We are proud to say all of our courses are:
• full of practical tips and activities you can use immediately
• thought provoking, engaging and often entertaining
• relevant to the modern classroom
• delivered by Yolanda Soryl
• professional, efficient and focused
• highly praised by fellow teachers
Course locations
The majority of our in-person courses are run in the first term and school holidays. Course locations have included Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Greymouth, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Invercargill.
See our course calendar of upcoming training here.
In-service
No courses in your area? Yolanda is available to deliver in-service training for your school or area either in-person or via live webinar. Check out the costs and options here.
Webinars
All the elements and fun of an in-person Yolanda Soryl course with break out opportunities built into the webinar so you can discuss your learning/do the training exercises with another colleague. Q&A time included plus the webinar recording will be available to view afterwards.
Learn more about our webinars here.
Course instructor
Yolanda Soryl delivers all of our courses. Yolanda’s training delivery is grounded in current research and evidence and enrichened by her extensive teaching experience. She is deeply committed to supporting children to achieve the greatest success in reading and writing.
Find our more about Yolanda here.
Course costs
Course costs per person.
• Primary Phonics – $190
• Advanced Phonics – $90
• Early Words – $70
• Phonological Awareness – $100
• Early Phonics – $100
• BUZZ – $70
• Reading Discovery Club – $70
Group discounts
Special group discount offers!
We offer a special group concession to help reduce the costs for schools and their teachers.
Bring a group and save!
Book 6 teachers, pay for 5!
Book 12 teachers, pay for 10!
N.B. All discounts must be claimed at the time of booking.
Available courses
- Early Words
- Primary Phonics
- Advanced Phonics
- Phonological Awareness
- Early Phonics
- BUZZ
- Reading Discovery Club
Our Early Words training course is for anyone working with children at the very beginning stages of reading and using the Early Words programme to teach the first reading words.
This course covers:
• theory about learning sight words
• how to teach the Early Words programme
• implementing the programme
Includes a training handout but the Early Words Manual must be purchased separately. Price includes GST.
This training course is offered as a live webinar (3 hours) or in-person (2 hours).
Cost: $70 pp
Our Primary Phonics course is aimed at teachers and teacher aides working with children age 5-7, but is also invaluable for anyone working further up the school with any child challenged by spelling in writing and decoding in reading.
This 6 hour course covers:
• basic phonics theory
• the scope and sequence for the seven stages of phonics
• lesson plans for each stage
• modelled lessons
• assessment and resources
Includes the 80-page Primary Education Phonics training manual with QR codes for videoed lessons. Price includes GST
This training course is offered as either a live webinar (2x 4-hour sessions or 4x 2-hour sessions) or in-person (6.5 hours).
Cost: $190 pp
Our Advanced Phonics training course is aimed at teachers who not only have attended the training, but have been teaching phonics and want training at a higher level.
This course covers:
• supplementary hearing activities
• how to transfer phonics to reading and writing
• time for questions and feedback
• 2 new stages to bridge Stages 4 & 5
• how to maximise phonics teaching
Includes the 36-page Advanced Phonics training manual. Price includes GST.
This training course is offered as a live webinar (3 hours) or in-person (2 hours).
Cost: $90 pp
Our Developing Phonological Awareness (DPA) course is aimed at teachers working with children aged 0-5 or older children who require additional support at the earliest level of literacy development.
The course covers:
• basic theory
• an overview of the seven stages of phonics
• in depth coverage of Stage 1 (phonological awareness)
• practical fun learning activities that develop phonological awareness
• assessment
• resources
Includes the 44-page DPA Handbook. Price includes GST.
This training course is offered as a live webinar (4 hours) or in-person (3.5 hours).
Cost: $100 pp
Early Phonics (Learning the alphabet) is a course for ECE and Primary teachers and assistants running transition to school programmes or who want in-depth training on how to teach children the sounds and letters of the alphabet. Parents welcome.
The 3.5 hour Early Phonics training course covers:
• basic phonics theory
• how to teach the alphabet sounds and letters
• learning options for students at different levels of readiness
• lesson planning and practice
• links to Te Whāriki
• modelled lessons and video clips
• teaching tips and assessment
• where to find resources
• Q&A … and more!
Includes the Early Phonics training manual with full lesson plans, assessments and QR codes for videoed lessons. Price includes GST.
Cost: $100 pp
Our BUZZ training is aimed at those teaching the BUZZ programme to students requiring more practice and extra opportunities for over learning in phonics. Our BUZZ course will teach you what you need to know to get BUZZing in your school.
The course covers:
• how to teach the BUZZ programme
• implementing the programme
This training course is offered as either a live webinar (3 hours) or in-person (2 hours).
Cost: $70 pp
Our Reading Discovery Club course provides explicit training in how to effectively deliver the programme in school. It is suitable for class teachers and teacher aides who want to teach structured literacy lessons that include reading and writing, and also Reading Recovery teachers who are running Early Literacy Support in their schools.
The Reading Discovery Club course covers:
• how to teach the Reading Discovery Club programme
• implementing the programme
To watch Reading Discovery Club lesson videos and for more information about the programme, click here.
This training course is offered as a live webinar (3 hours) or in-person (2 hours).
Course: $70 pp
