Teaching Letter Sounds

Once a child has basic phonemic awareness skills (hearing rhymes and beginning sounds), they are ready to start learning the letters that represent each sound. We teach letter SOUNDS, not letter names first - the sounds are what they need to know to begin writing and reading!
What are the sounds? Try this wonderful website - click on a letter to hear its phonetic sounds

Here are videos and tips for teaching letter sounds at home:
Parent guide 1 - games to teach letter sounds
Parent guide 2 - letters & beginning sounds

1) Introduce 2-3 new letter sounds at a time

- only introduce new letters after they have mastered the letters they were practicing!

- Always start with review! (prevents forgetting and give them confidence to move on to something new and challenging.

- Letter sounds can be taught in any order. We have letters grouped in the following sets, but will often teach them in a different order based on the child's individual interests

Intro videos for

Set 1 (a, m, s, t),

Set 2 (c, i, p, r),

Set 3 (b, f, g, o),

Set 4 (h, j, l, u),

Set 5 (d, e, n, w)

2) Play games to practice (see demo in Parent guide 1):

-- point to ‘mmm’; point to ‘rrr’, ...
-- ‘hide’ a letter- child closes eyes while you mix them; “can you find ‘sss’?” Repeat!
-- trace in cornmeal tray (or on paper; you can “write” it on their back at the same time)
--  beginning sounds game
-- “Who let the letters out” song Set 1, 2,  3
-- “Knock knock” game with letters