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Letter-Sound Knowledge: What It Is & Why It Matters
Letter-Sound Knowledge: What It Is & Why It Matters
Letter-Sound knowledge is the understanding of the connection between the sound we hear and the shape on the page that represents that sound in reading and writing. There are 4 elements to every letter, so there is a lot to learn!
In many TVDSB classrooms, a Sound Wall is being used to help children connect the sounds we hear to the letters we see! A sound wall shows all the sounds of our language (44 sounds!), and not just the letters we have (only 26). It reinforces the idea that SOUNDS come first, and letters just show the sounds we use in our language. It helps children learn sounds by talking about how you make them with your mouth. For example, for the sound "f", you make the sound by biting gently on your bottom lip and blowing air with your voicebox off. Ask your child if they can show you!
Each card on the sound wall shows a picture of a mouth making the sound, the letter that we use to represent that sound, and a picture of something that starts with that sound.
It's important for children to know that each letter shows a sound, but that they can show more than one sound as well (e.g. the letter C can sound like "k" or "s"), or show a different sound when it's combined with another letter (e.g. 't' vs. 'th').
Click here to see how your phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge skills can be used in reading and writing tasks!
Build Letter-Sound Knowledge at Home!
Build Letter-Sound Knowledge at Home!
Say your name out loud, and isolate the first sound (e.g., Ben - 'b'). Write the letter B in the air!
When baking, listen for the sounds at the beginning and ending of an ingredient (e.g., "chip" - 'ch' is the first sound). Write the letter that makes that sound in flour or sugar.
During outdoor play, talk about what you can see. Listen for the first sound in the word and write the letter in the dirt!
Taking a bubble bath? Talk about body parts such as head, stomach, finger, toes, nose, mouth and identify the first sound in each word. Write the letter that represents that sound in the bubbles.
Cooking dinner? Say a sound and make its letter(s) using vegetables. If you are setting the table, build the letter using utensils!
Playing on the floor? Say a sound and have your child draw the letter on the carpet.
During the winter months, get creative with the elements. Draw letters in the snow as you are making snow angels or building a snowman.
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