Over 4000 teachers have attended Phonics Training courses in New Zealand since 2003.           Wow! We have had a fantastic year of Phonics teaching and learning. It has been amazing observing our students' phonemic development and the positive impact it has had on their reading and writing achievement. I just wanted to say thank you so much Yolanda - your programme has made a big difference!     Michelle Pontifex Seatoun School           The phonics has had a positive impact not just in the reading and spelling, but most importantly, in the way the children are writing. They're taking risks, they're more confident and their writing is so much more adventurous. We're delighted with what your phonics training has done for our children.     Rob Callaghan, Principal, Kaiapoi North School           This was my third time through this course and I just wanted you to know that I still gained heaps out of it. I adapt what you do, but use many of your techniques, as I find that your methods use minimal words to get the message across. In teaching struggling readers, I have to 'overteach' many times and it is easy to become too'wordy'. Your prompts keep my teaching effective and to the point. I was also reminded again of the importance of constant revision at letter, word, and text level to maintain fluency. I have truly found this course the most worthwhile seminar I have done in all my teaching years.     Ros Gray St Anne's Catholic School           Your course was comprehensive, professional, based on best practice and inspiring. And when I got back to the classroom I was pleased to find that doing phonics daily translated to improvements in reading, written language and most importantly students’ confidence.     Pam Jacomb, Lyttleton West School           The most valuable training I have ever been on. Yolanda, you are a fantastic motivator!     Shelley Matuku, Y0/1 teacher, Wainui School           I really enjoyed today- that was actually my second time hearing you and it was AWESOME. Was great to know that I have been on track with what I have been doing with my class and have picked up reminders on how to make my Phonics/ Literacy programme EVEN BETTER! Thanks again - very inspiring.     Maegan Copping, Y 2 teacher, Motueka South School           Your training exceeded my expectations.  The study of phonics was part of my teacher training in England (some years ago!) but this course has given me new ideas and has made more sense than anything I have been taught before.  I can see how the teaching strategies fit into the bigger picture of literacy.  Thank you for an inspirational course.     Kay Wieck, Y2 teacher, Sefton School           Fantastic! It was great to go to a course that actually told me how to teach phonics, not just the theory!     Michelle Day, NE/Y1 teacher, Ranui School           The best course I have ever done. Having a degree in linguistics I can resolutely say that this has helped me more in my teaching of phonics than a BA and B Ed combined! Thank you.     Julia Palmer, Y1 teacher, Helensville School           Our teachers are excited and enthused by the phonics because they are seeing the results already. Having Yolanda’s guidance and support in school after the initial training has ensured the success of the programme at Roydvale. The professional conversations about phonics between staff, whether they be teachers, teacher aides or the Principal show that everyone is speaking the same language.     Paul Dolan, Principal, Roydvale School           A brilliant course: so practical. I wish it had been longer!     Helen Russ, Cust / West Eyreton Playcentre           Thanks once more for the fantastic, inspiring phonics demonstration on Wednesday afternoon. The staff are buzzing and are very motivated! We just find the phonics programme has made such big changes in our children. (We also loved watching you teach!)     Lisa Kaye, AP, Onekawa School           Brilliant: the best PD I've been on. I liked the speed of the training. It was fast, valuable: fantastic!     Faencha Doyle, St Benedict's School           I found the session you gave for parents at South Library fascinating. You are a very skilled presenter and very knowledgeable about your topic. Also really great to see the resources you have used with your own children. Lots of ideas for me to use with my son.     Simone Pearson, Parent           Every teacher should do your course! Very rarely you go to a course and are interested and awake for a whole 2 hours, then come away inspired, armed and ready to put it all into practice.     Megan Marsh, Special Need Teacher, St Albans School           We could have had a whole day of the training as it was so inspiring. Yolanda presented the course with so much passion. The training reiterated what’s already happening in our kindergarten, but now we have the knowledge to put it in the right sequence and give extra activities and ideas to add to our daily programme.     Annabel Ensor, Teacher Annabel’s Kindergarten and Annabel’s Educare           I like the way you get right to the nuts and bolts of the whole area of phonics. What wonderful empowerment for children.     Gaylene Cooper, Glenbrae and Owairaka Schools           This training was excellent. You had me listening all the time. It exceeded all my expectations and has given me lots of ideas to take back to school.     Sue Carter, Teacher Aide, Wainui School           One of the few courses that provides you with everything you need to go off and teach right away: lesson plans, assessments, all the info from planning to teaching and assessing.     Suzanne Liggett, NE teacher, Ohoka School           An excellent course, very organised, very professional. Value for money.     Diane La Trobe, Y1/2 teacher, Sandspit School           Fantastic, a very informative course with a good delivery.     Deborah MacGarth, Y2 teacher Manurewa Central School           The training was excellent, I loved it. I can’t wait to put my knowledge into action.     Cheryl Nelson, Teacher Teddy Bears Early Education Centre           This course outdid my expectations. I now feel that I have enough knowledge and support material and structure to teach my NE/Y1 class.     Fiona Hanning, Y0/1 teacher, Papatoetoe South School           I finally know how to really teach phonics. Yay!     Catherine Frazerhurst, Y2 teacher Manurewa Central School           One of the best workshops I have been to in 25 years!     Sue Verma, Teacher Birchwood Kindergarten           Gail and I  both loved  the phonics training we completed yesterday. Please pass on to  Yolanda  how great it is. We have come back to school so  inspired  and  excited!!!!!!     Anna Molloy, Beckenham School           Thank you for your work with the phonics at my childrens' school. I am completely blown away by the difference in the speed and ease with which my six year old daughter learned to read compared to my 11 year old daughter, who started school in 2000. When my 11 year old started, the phonics system was not a part of the reading programme. I am completely convinced that my older daughter would enjoy reading more and be reading a higher level if she had learned with the phonics system. My six year old adores reading and has recently been moved up three reading levels by her teacher. I spent four weeks as a teacher aide in a New Entrants class last year. It was amazing to watch how quickly the children picked up the sounds of the letters and then used these sounds to learn words and then to read. Their enjoyment in the learning and reading was so obvious. The phonics system is brilliant.     Monica Guy, Parent / Teacher Aide           The best course I have been to, very practical and inspiring. I can't wait to get started!     Liz Blackwell, Ngaio School           The training was very affirming. To learn the value and meaning of what you are already doing was fabulous. Also, I learnt new information and practical strategies to enhance further phonics teachings in ECE. It was awesome. I could have stayed the whole day! I can’t wait to do more of this in our kindergarten.     Rebecca McDonald, Teacher Annabel’s Kindergarten and Annabel’s Educare           It’s great to have a programme that is tried and true, based on sound research and developed for New Zealand schools. I can implement this in my classroom tomorrow without having to buy expensive resources.   Linda Grant, NE teacher, New Lynn School         I want to start it yesterday! Your training more than matched my expectations. Thank you for your infectious enthusiasm.     Claire Brickell, Y0/1 teacher, Ranui School           Excellent inspiring training.     Lorraine Ellery, Teacher, Cotswold Preschool           Thank you for your excellent course at Halswell. I've received lots of feedback from other staff about how much they got out of it and how well you presented it. It was great. Thanks again.     Cathie Zelas, AP, Halswell School           I am blown away. It will work for so many of my kids, I can already see it. The training was well paced! Enthusiastic! PRACTICAL! I can't wait to get started!     Ange Lamb, Assistant Principal, West Park School           This has been the most useful literacy programme to date that I've attended.     Lorraine Tidey (Year 1 teacher), Khandallah School           Thank you for this amazing insight. It has opened a whole new world to me. Unlike many initiatives in education, this one works! Brilliant.     Anna-Maria Williams, Reading Recovery Teacher Christ the King School           As a New Entrant teacher I absolutely loved the day as it was completely relevant to me and the needs of the students in my class.     Jo Flavell, NE teacher, Kimihia Primary School