Current research supports Zoo-phonics

Current research supports Zoo-phonics You will see incredible results…independent research proves it!

Every aspect of the Zoo-phonics® Program has been field-tested and found to be effective.
Educational research repeatedly supports the focus of phonics in early reading programs, as well as the educational benefits of pictorial mnemonics and kinesthetic approaches to learning that are unique to Zoo-phonics®.

Zoo-phonics® agrees heartily and conforms with current research that states that children need an awareness and understanding that “the sounds paired with the letters are one and the same as the sounds of speech.”1 According to Marilyn Jager Adams, “Research shows that the very notion that spoken language is made up of sequences of these little sounds does not come naturally or easily to human beings.” 2 Because Zoo-phonics® uses Animal/Letters and Body Signals, students gain easy access not only to the concepts of the alphabet, but also to the shapes and sounds, and what to do with the alphabet. From this, children have the building blocks to build important, and enormous words!

  1. Phonemic Awareness in Young Children, by Marilyn Jager Adams, Barbara R. Foorman, Ingvar Lundberg, Terri Beeler, Paul H. Brookes, Publishers, Baltimore, etc., (1998)
  2. IBID

Zoo-phonics® aligns with National Reading Panel research…

It seems self-evident that techniques to develop children’s phonemic awareness in classrooms should be as relevant and exciting as possible so that the instruction engages children’s interest and attention in a way that promotes optimal learning…It seems that teachers will be most effective when they are enthusiastic in their teaching and enjoy what they are doing in the classroom.

The National Reading Panel’s Report, “Teaching Children To Read” (2000) June 11, 2015

Research that speaks for itself…

Download our research results in pdf format viewable with Adobe Acrobat Reader™. Click on the title of your choice to begin pdf download. Download speed will vary according to your modem speed and local ISP service.

Also, please see our Catalog (pages 3-4) for additional current research.

  • Graphed Results of Kindergartens and First Grades using Zoo-phonics®Westwind Elementary, Phoenix, AZ, Kindergarten using Zoo-phonics®
    Julliette Low Elementary, Anaheim, CA, Kindergarten using Zoo-phonics®
    Julliette Low Elementary, Anaheim, CA, First Grade using Zoo-phonics®
    Robert H. Down Elementary, Pacific Grove, CA, Kindergarten using Zoo-phonics®
    Download (40kb pdf)
  • The Effects of Zoo-phonics® in the Kindergarten Year, by Alexa Stafford Horne, as presented to the Faculty of San Diego State University
    Download (95kb pdf)
  • Tribble Action Research, by Kathleen Tribble, obtained Masters in Education 2002, First Grade Teacher, California
    Download (113kb pdf)
  • Gallagher Action Research, by Carol Gallagher, obtained Masters in Education from George Fox University, 2003
    Download (158kb pdf)
  • Vogt Action Research, by Lori Vogt, Kindergarten Teacher, Arizona
    Download (1mb pdf)
  • Pictorial Mnemonics for Phonics, by Linnea C. Ehri, Nancy D. Deffner and Lee S. Wilce
    Download (1mb pdf)
  • Discovering and Encouraging Your Child’s Personal Learning Style In Their Own Way, by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.
    Download (221kb pdf)
  • An Empirical Assessment of Self-Esteem Enhancement In a High School Challenge Service-Learning Program, by Wang Jainjun, 1998
    Download (17kb pdf)
  • General Research Support, various sources, on subjects including Phonemic Awareness and Phonics, Body Movements and Learning, Teaching Young Toddlers, Meaning and Relevance in Memory, Brain Overload and Stress, Game Format and Memory and Cooperative Learning
    Download (58kb pdf)
  • Zoo-phonics® Scope and Sequence: A scope and sequence of phonemic concepts and syntactic skills, by Zoo-phonics®, Inc.
    Download (79kb pdf)
  • Creating Brain-Efficient Curriculum: An analysis of the changes necessary to create a methodology and curriculum that enhances student achievement in reading, spelling and writing, by Char Wrighton, Co-Author/Developer, Zoo-phonics®, 1995Download (1039kb pdf)

FREE! Zoo-phonics® Fidelity Paper Maximize learning!

No child slips between the cracks with Zoo-phonics®…

No child slips between the cracks with Zoo-phonics®…"Just wanted to write to let you know I am eating crow in North Carolina. I was just not sure about the program and was concerned about having to implement Zoo-phonics®. On Wednesday, I started talking about the animals and introducing the signals and sounds. The children loved them and I thought to myself skeptically, "Of course they love them, they are animals!" On Thursday, I went over the signals again, and was completely amazed that they knew them all. Even my students that only had learned about 2 sounds out of the 18 we had already learned were producing the correct sound and using the signals. On Friday, I decided to give a little spelling test. I was just going to use the ad family. Boy, was I shocked and surprised when ALL of the students made a 100%! Even my little boys that are struggling! They were signaling with me and then they would look up at the Nature Cards and make the connection between the animal and the signal and the sound! Wow! I tried again on Monday and used a variety of CVC words. I did not stick to a word family because surely it had been a fluke. NOPE! Everyone made a 100%. Okay, I thought. It works! So now I am the biggest supporter. Sign me up! Let me sing your praises. My students are writing better. They are sounding out words to create beautiful sentences and stories. When they come to a word they don't know in a book, they signal it out and figure it out on their own! They love the program and BEG to do it. I am now a Zoophonics Teacher!!

Kelly Hain Teacher, Hurley Elementary Salisbury, NC June 11, 2015