So… How Do Mnemonics Work?
The Stevenson Program uses visual mnemonics to teach word attack skills, from letter recognition to decoding multi-syllable words. It pairs mnemonic clues with multi-sensory activities to reinforce sound-symbol correspondence.
Students begin reading after learning just five letter sounds by using a mnemonic story about the vowel pair "oa."
This helps them recognize sound patterns and blend words. The program introduces a peanut butter and jelly sandwich model to illustrate long vowel patterns, making abstract concepts concrete. Similarly, the layer cake model teaches silent "e" and suffix changes, simplifying complex spelling rules.
Beyond phonics, the program emphasizes comprehension. It develops visualization skills to help students picture content as they read, ensuring deeper understanding. Activities like illustrating, defining, and categorizing further enhance vocabulary and comprehension, while structured exercises teach students to answer questions in complete sentences.
Some of our Basic Mnemonics
Mnemonic clue that teaches the letter c. Along with this clue Stevenson provides multi-sensory activities and direct instruction to elicit the hard sound of c and associate it with the letter shape.
The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a mnemonic designed to facilitate memory. Just as importantly, however, it is a clear model that illustrates an important linguistic structure.
The first consonant is the first layer of cake. Then comes a layer of filling which contains jam and chips that you can hear as you chew. The next layer of cake is a consonant and the last layer of frosting is creamy, smooth – and silent – letter e.
The oa friends. o stands first in line and shouts his sound /0/. a will remind him with a gentle kick if he forgets…