Walter E. Dunson, Jr., Ph.D.

Many linguists believe and support the Innateness Hypothesis, which states that children are born already equipped with an innate blueprint or template for spoken language called Universal Grammar.  Written language, however, is a human construct.  In the evolution of writing, we have designated symbols to represent the sounds of spoken language.  We have, in essence, created our own code.  The sound-symbol correspondence that has been developed for the English language is called the English "code".

In order for students to properly master the components of our language, breaking the "code" proves to be a monumental, yet crucial, task.  Few students naturally make the association between letters and sounds.  The English "code" must be explicitly taught and drilled until the associations from symbol to sound and sound to symbol are automatic.