A high-flying Teesside business is taking its unique teaching programme across the pond to schools in San Francisco.
Sound Training boosts literacy levels of mainstream pupils, with ‘remarkable’ results after only six hours of instruction, according to the company. It’s currently being used in more than 300 schools across the UK - and founder director Katy Parkinson is hoping for a stateside breakthrough for the company following the trip.
She will fly out on Mondayto introduce the nationally-acclaimed programme to the first US school.
During a week-long visit supported by funding from UKTI, Katy will train teachers at San Francisco’s Leadership High School so they can introduce the award-winning scheme to pupils.
Sound Training was founded on successes Katy achieved with local school pupils, aged 10-18 when she was employed by Middlesbrough Council.
Accompanied by her daughter Lisa, a qualified teacher who works for Sound Training, Katy will provide the Leadership High School team with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to introduce Sound Training to pupils there.
They also plan to hold a literacy workshop and a demonstration lesson for US education professionals.
Launched in 2011, Sound Training now employs 11 full-time staff and 80 teachers across England and Wales.
Whilst schools across Teesside and the North-east are already enjoying the benefits of Sound Training, the company has its largest presence in the south and is currently working with its first schools in Wales.
The US pilot follows an initial visit to Denver by CEO Claire Preston in September 2013, which generated transatlantic interest in the scheme, followed by a fact-finding trip to San Francisco by Katy last November.
Claire said: “This has been an amazing 18 months for Sound Training. Not only have we achieved fantastic results with pupils around the UK but we now have this opportunity that we’ve been working towards for some time.
“We’re incredibly excited about the potential for the US market. Those I met with in Denver confirmed there is nothing like Sound Training in the States and were intrigued with the results we are achieving in the UK. We want as many young people to benefit from this as possible, wherever they may be. It really makes a difference.”
Throughout her teaching career, Katy has developed her own knowledge and expertise in the field of literacy by referring to and reading American research, so she is thrilled to now be in the position to take the Sound Training programme over to the USA.
Her previous visit to schools in San Francisco confirmed her belief that students in the USA have the same needs that students have here in the UK.
Katy said: “By observing lessons and speaking to students there, it became crystal clear that it is weak vocabulary knowledge that often prevents many talented pupils to reach their potential. Tackling vocabulary is a key focus in the Sound Training programme.
“It is the best feeling ever to witness that light-bulb moment when students master the ability to decode subject-specific words and then go on to work out the meanings of other unfamiliar words for themselves.
“You can see their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge grow”.
Sound Training won the Tees Valley Best New Business Award in 2013.
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