Wordplay Phonics

Wordplay’s Co-Founder Keith Tacey (B.Ed. Communications, Theater, & Physical Education; M.Ed. Administration & Supervision), designed a phonics program based on the foundational elements of Jolly Phonics that is tailored specifically for the Vietnamese student. This means there is a great focus on common Vietnamese pronunciation mistakes, and the lesson plans include bite-sized structured activities that give extra support to ensure success. After teaching, improving, and perfecting the phonics program for two years, Teacher Keith was approved as Vietnam’s very first and currently only official Jolly Phonics trainer. How do we know Wordplay’s approach to phonics works?

Nearly 1,000 students have successfully completed Wordplay’s phonics program with proficiency. This means, by the end of the program, that these students could independently sound, blend, and read 250 CVC/CVCC/CCVC words with 85% accuracy or better. Additionally, these students have mastered the skills required to fluently read thousands more phonetic words.
Dozens of Vietnamese students from UNIS, Concordia, St. Paul, and more international schools around Hanoi have come to Wordplay for intensive phonics study to improve their skills. When taking internationally recognized standardized tests back at their schools these students have regularly scored at the top of their class, even above many native English speakers. Many of these students also receive scores that place their reading skills one year ahead of where they are expected to be at their age. These exciting results are typical of the international students who study phonics and reading at Wordplay.
As of 2022, Keith Tacey has trained over 500 teachers from 25 different countries in phonics, including training all Vinschool teachers in Vietnam from 2018-2020. He has become a highly sought-after expert in early childhood literacy, and regularly trains educational institutions throughout Vietnam and around the globe.