Advanced English Code Characteristics
A learner who has mastered the basic English code is ready to move on to the advanced English code. In addition to the subskills previously learned, the student needs to develop the ability to understand that sometimes two or more letters represent a sound. For example: – the word “eight” has 2 sounds /eigh/ and /t/; – the word “shoe” has 2 sounds /sh/ and /oe/.
One Sound Many Spellings
Equally important is the ability to understand that there is more than one way to represent a sound. For instance, the long /a/ sound as in the word ‘paper’ can be represented in the following ways:
– /a/ as in baby
-/ay/ as in stay
-/a–e/ as in game
-/ai/ as in pail
-/eigh/ as in eight
-/ey/ as in they
-/aigh/ as in straight
-/ea/ as in steak
-/ei/ as in vein;
Sound Overlapping
On the other hand, there is some overlap in the English code. Some components of the code can represent more than one sound. For example: the long /o/ sound can be represented in the following ways:
– /o-e/ as in note
-/ow/ as in show
-/oe/ as in toe
-/oa/ as in goat
Complexity of Text
By the time learners get to fourth grade about 60% of words in the texts they read are advanced code. It is important to teach this explicitly, directly with lots of practice and repetition. A learner who knows how to map and do word analysis needs to read daily to someone who can support him/her in this process. Learners need to learn this new information, but they also need a plan to organize and help to make sense of this information. Memorizing the 134 sound pictures representations of the English code is the first step. However, to learn to identify them in words that one never saw before is the practical application of this knowledge.
The Right Way to Teach
English is a sound-symbol code. This means we have various sounds represented by symbols; therefore the sounds are the material of written words. When we read, we build up from the sound to the syllable and to the meaning of the word. So in order to save time and frustration it is logical to use teaching methods that agree with the structure of the code being taught.
Freedom
Braking the shackles of learning to read will allow learners to read to learn, by focusing on other aspects of the reading puzzle and enjoy reading. 
With Love and Gratitude,
Alda
Source:
Reading Reflex. Carmen and Geoffrey McGuiness