What To Know About Letter-Sound Correspondence

The journey of literacy involves mastering the intricate dance between letters and sounds, a process that unfolds through teaching letter-sound correspondence. As children take their initial steps into the world of language, the intricate relationships between individual letters and the sounds they represent become a pivotal milestone.

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Bright
Beginnings

Learning letter sounds helps unlock the code of written language and becomes a stepping stone to reading and writing success.

Common Challenges

The task of determining the right starting point and the appropriate order for teaching letter sounds can be a little overwhelming.

Literacy
Toolbox

It helps to have strategies and resources to guide you in teaching your little learners the letters of the alphabet.

Check out our very own Ox & Owl Literacy Alphabet Parade to help navigate which letters to teach first!

What is Letter-Sound Correspondence?

Letter-sound correspondence, often referred to as phonics, is a fundamental aspect of early language learning that establishes the relationship between letter symbols of the alphabet (graphemes) and their corresponding sounds (phonemes). It is a key piece of the reading and writing puzzle, teaching us that each letter represents a distinct sound or set of sounds, and when combined, they form words.

Learning this concept starts children on their path to decoding words by blending the sounds together and to spelling by segmenting words into their component sounds.

Bright Beginnings

Why Letter-Sound Correspondence is Crucial for Early Literacy Development

Letter-sound correspondence plays a pivotal role in early literacy development as it forms the foundational bridge between spoken and written language. Understanding how letters correspond to specific sounds is a key concept that allows children to learn to decode words by blending the sounds together and to spell by breaking words down into their component sounds.

In simpler terms, it’s understanding that the squiggles and lines (visual symbols we call letters) we write down are not just random; they match up with the noises (sounds) we make when we talk, paving the way for reading fluency and effective written communication. As a cornerstone of literacy, mastering letter-sound relationships opens the door to a world of imagination, knowledge, and self-expression for young minds.

A child holding a letter A card next to a picture card of an apple in her left hand and a letter D card next to a picture card of a donut in her right hand.

A Few Things To Keep In Mind When Teaching Letter-Sounds

Letters should be taught using a systematic and structured approach for optimal learning.
Engaging and multisensory activities make letter knowledge learning exciting and enjoyable.
Starting with the letters in your little learner’s name and other meaningful words to your little learner creates a personal connection to the alphabet.
The order typically used when teaching letter sounds is based on the frequency and simplicity of letter sounds, facilitating a smooth transition from basic to more complex phonetic concepts.
Repetition and review are key. Reinforce previous lessons regularly to ensure retention and understanding.
Remember that every child learns at their own pace. Some may quickly grasp letter sounds, while others may need more time and repetition.
Foster an environment where it’s okay to ask questions and make mistakes. Curiosity leads to deeper understanding, and making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process.

By keeping these points in mind, you’re not just teaching letter sounds; you’re opening up a world of literacy and learning for your little learner(s) that’s meaningful, engaging, and tailored to their individual journey(s).

Common Challenges

Connecting letter symbols to their letter sounds, often referred to as phonics, lays an important foundation for understanding words and sentences. Mastery of letter sounds is crucial for children to decode words independently, enabling them to read confidently and also assists children with being able to comprehend what they read.

However, diving into teaching kids the sounds of the alphabet can feel a bit like setting sail without a map. Figuring out where to start and how to line up all those letters and sounds in a way that makes sense can be pretty daunting.

To make it more confusing, some letters have more than one sound. How do you teach these to your little one without confusing them? And in what order should letter symbols be introduced?

Keep reading to get some coordinates for your map and a compass to help navigate your way.

Old world map, small antique looking telescope, white rope, and a compass laid out of a table.

What Order Should Be Used to Teach Letters to Children?

When diving into the world of phonics with young learners, the sequence in which you introduce letter sounds matters. You may be surprised to learn that it’s best not to teach letters sounds A-Z. Also, the order in which letter sounds are taught often differs from the sequence of teaching letter formation (writing).

Letter Sounds

For example, vowels and common consonants like ‘n’, ‘s’, ‘t’, ‘p’, and ‘h’ are introduced early because they can combine to form a wide array of simple words, thereby allowing children to quickly begin blending sounds into words. Children can practice blending and segmenting the sounds in simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words such as sun; sit; tin; pan; pot; hat; ten; pen; nut; hot; and hop.

Letter Formation

In contrast, the sequence for teaching letter formation is influenced by the motor skills required to write letters. Letters that have similar strokes or patterns (such as ‘c’, ‘o’, ‘a’) might be taught consecutively to help children develop the motor memory for those patterns. Children most often begin with capital letters of the alphabet because the stroke patterns are easier to make and less likely to get mixed up or reversed.

Educators and parents can create a more effective, enjoyable, and intuitive learning experience by carefully considering the order of letters being taught, laying a strong foundation for budding readers and writers.

The Dynamic Duo

Help your little learner identify beginning, middle, and end sounds using visual aids like Elkonin boxes. For example, draw three boxes and use small objects or counters to represent sounds in words.

Ox and Owl website icons with speak bubbles, introducing themselves.

Phonemic awareness is the key to unlocking the world of reading! It’s perfectly fine if some kids need a little extra time to get the hang of it. Make learning fun by tailoring activities to their developmental level and watching them grow step by step!

Literacy Toolbox

Use Words and Names That Matter

For many children, their name is the first word they recognize and proudly scribble across a page. By focusing on these special letters first, we capitalize on their intrinsic interest and familiarity.

Starting with the letters in their name or using familiar words helps make the connection between learning letter sounds and using them in everyday life, which provides a personal connection to the learning material.

This connection works to increase engagement while often providing a boost in confidence and a sense of achievement early in the learning process, increasing children’s motivation to learn the rest of the letters of the alphabet.

Capital wooden letters spelling the name LIAM overtop of a white soft sheepskin rug.

Introduce Letters In a Systematic Way

There’s a whole sea of teaching methods and sequences out there. It’s great because it means you can find something that fits just right for your little learners. But it also means you’ve got to do a bit of treasure hunting through all that information to discover the golden nuggets.

That’s where having some strategies and resources becomes invaluable. Below is our very own Ox & Owl Literacy letter order for introducing letters of the alphabet to help guide you in the teaching process.

Ox & Owl Literacy Alphabet Parade

Letter Sound Correspondence	Letter Formation Practice
Ss, Ii, Tt, Hh, Aa, Nn, Ff, Dd, Mm, Oo, Pp, Ee, Cc, Ll, Uu, Bb, Rr, Gg, Jj, Kk, Qq, Vv, Xx, Zz, Ww, Yy	Uppercase Letters First I, T, H, F, D, O, P, E, L, U, C, B, R, G, J, S, Q, V, Z, M, A, X, W, N, K, Y Lowercase Letters Second l, t, i, p, u, c, o, p, s, v, x, z, w, h, n, m, r, b, a, d, g, q, j e, f, k, y

Teach Short Vowel Sounds First

Teach These Sounds First	Teach These Sounds Later
/a/ as in hat	/a/ as in rake
/e/ as in wet	/e/ as in feet
/i/ as in swim	/i/ as in kind
/o/ as in frog	/o/ as in home
/u/ as in nut	/u/ as in huge

Consonants with Multiple Sounds

Teach These Sounds First	Teach These Sounds Later
/c/ as in cup	/s/ as in city
/g/ as in give	/j/ as in ginger
/s/ as in class	/z/ as in nose
/y/ as in yawn	/i/ as in my; /i/ as in gym; /e/ as in fairy

Ox & Owl A-Z Sound Adventure

A is for Adventure
B is for Boat
C is for Castle
D is for Dragon
E is for Enchanted Forest
F is for Faires
G is for Secret Gardens
H is for Hammock
I is for Insects

J is for Jokes
K is for Kites
L is for Lantern
M is for Mountain
N is for Night Sky
O is for Octopus
P is for Pirates
Q is for Quest
R is for Raindrops

S is for Sunflowers
T is for Tower
U is for Unicorn
V is for Valley
W is for Waterfall
X is for Fox
Y is for Yak
Z is for Zigzag

Try this Simple and Interactive Letter-Sound Correspondence Activity

Phonics Treasure Hunt

Graphics of a girl with a magnifier on the left. Three letter cards matched up with toys on the right side: P matched with a penguin figurine; B next to a beach ball; and C next to a car.

Cultivate your little learner(s) inner explorer by playing Phonics Treasure Hunt!

Watch as little ones embark on a journey of discovery, boosting their confidence and letter-sound connections with every treasure they find.

How to Play:

To start, select 2-4 letters that your little learner(s) have been working on or that you would like to review and reinforce.
Next, find objects or pictures that represent the different selected initial letter sounds. For example, if your little learner(s) is practicing the letter ‘p’, you might collect a pencil, police car (toy or picture), and/or penguin (figurine or picture).
Lay out letter cards, magnets, or foam letters on a table, tray, next to baskets, or on the floor in an orderly fashion for your selected letter sounds.
Before the activity begins, hide the objects around the room. Place them in spots that are accessible but provide a bit of a challenge to find.
Explain to your learner(s) that there are hidden objects and/or pictures that start with a specific letter sound, and their task is to find the objects and match them to the correct letters.
Once an object has been found, your little learner(s) should bring it to the designated matching area. You may need to help guide your little one in identifying the initial sound of the object and matching it to the corresponding letter.
Once all the objects and/or pictures have been found and matched, reinforce these letter sounds by asking your little learner(s) to say the letter name, the letter sound, and all the found objects that were matched with the same sound.

This activity combines physical movement with phonics practice, making the process of learning letter sounds exciting, interactive, and memorable.

Ox & Owl Literacy

Letter Knowledge Series

Did You Know?

Did you know there are five letter knowledge components in preschool and kindergarten literacy instruction? Letter-sound correspondence is one of these five components. All five are important skills that need to be taught and practiced to help young learners develop reading and writing readiness.

Five Components of Letter Knowledge:

Print Awareness: How We Come To Understand Print As Meaningful

Feature image of different coloured letter manipulatives for post about introducing print letters to young children.

Start Smart: Guidelines for Introducing Letter Recognition

Feature photo for post about letter discrimination, showing letters being constructed from elastic bands stretched out on a pin pegboard.

Excellent Ways to Teach Letter Discrimination to Kids

Feature blog image of a couple hands-on letter recognition activities for young children.

Discovering Letters: Engaging Activities for Teaching Letter Recognition to Children

Feature image for blog post about letter sequencing showing the letters of the alphabet in the correct order.

Ways to Teach Alphabet Sequencing to Early Learners