An Aid to Learning Letter-Sound Correspondences

Abstract

For some children learning the letter-sound correspondences in the phonics approach to teaching reading can be difficult. Set out below is a scheme in which each lower-case letter of the alphabet has been paired with a picture which not only resembles each letter, but also has this letter as the first letter of its name. Through games with the teacher, parents or other children using this scheme, the child learns to associate the letter shape and sound with the picture. Eventually when s/he sees a letter in print and cannot remember its sound the child learns to recall the picture s/he has learnt to associate with it, recall the first sound of the name of the picture and thereby works out the sound of the letter in print.