How to Teach Letter Sounds to Preschoolers: A Simple Guide for Parents
How to teach letter sounds to preschoolers is one of the questions many parents ask when their child is beginning to develop early reading skills. Your child may know the alphabet song perfectly but still struggle when you ask: “What sound does this letter make?” This is common because knowing the names of letters and understanding their sounds are different skills. Early literacy involves several connected abilities, including phonological awareness, letter knowledge, decoding, vocabulary and comprehension. Phonological awareness involves hearing and working with sounds in spoken language, while phonics connects sounds to letters. The good news is that parents can introduce these skills through short, enjoyable activities at home. The goal is not to turn preschool into primary school. The goal is to help children become comfortable with sounds, letters and language. Letter Names vs Letter Sounds: What’s the Difference? Before teaching letter sounds, parents shou...