Letter Sounds
Letter-sound lessons connect each letter of the alphabet to its most common sound, using audio playback and repetition. This is usually the first phonics skill a child practices, right after letter recognition.
Examples
- • A → /æ/ as in apple
- • M → /m/ as in mat
- • S → /s/ as in sun
How to practice at home
- Pick three letters a day, not the whole alphabet.
- Say the sound, not the name: /m/, not "em". Keep stop sounds short: /b/, not "buh".
- Play "I spy something that starts with /s/" around the house.
- Check with the flashcards: point to a letter, your child says its sound.
Watch out for
Letters with two common sounds (c, g) and the vowels. Start with the sound in the example word (c as in cat, g as in goat) and leave the others for later.