How Reading Works / Knowing the Sounds of Written Letters and Words / Phonics Help Part 1
HOW DO I SUPPORT MY CHILD WITH PHONICS?
PART 1
1
Watch a video from the Learn the Sounds section to learn the letter and letter combination sounds.
2
Practice the letter and letter combination sounds with your child. Make it fun - use singing and hand motions!
3
Try one of the letter and letter combination sound activities below.
LEARN THE SOUNDS
Captions and Languages
To watch videos with subtitles: Click the settings icon in the lower righthand corner, next click “subtitles,” and then “English.”
To see subtitles in another language, after selecting English, next click “auto-translate” and then select the language of your choice.
TRY THESE ACTIVITIES
Letter Sound Water Squirt
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Write various letters or letter sound combination patterns on a wall or ground with chalk.
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Have your child squirt the letter or group of letters for the sound you say.
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Repeat multiple times and see if the child can go faster.
Watch this video to learn how!
Playdough Letters
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Give the child playdough and ask them to build any letter that you say
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Build a letter and ask the child to name it
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Build a word and ask the child to sound it out (only do this AFTER your child has learned most of their letter-sounds)
Watch this video to learn how!
Sound Hunters
Choose a letter sound, then have your child find things around your house that start with the same sound. This is great activity to do in the kitchen while making dinner.
“Can you find something in our house that starts with the letter “s” ssssss sound? Stairs, sofa, sandwich.”
The H Brothers
Explain to your child that sometimes two letters will stand together to create one new sound. The “h brothers” join with other letters to make the sounds: sh, ch, th, wh and ph.
This can be confusing for kids, so make sure to write an example word and use gestures to help them remember the new letter combination.
ch: touch your chin making the “ch” sound
sh: Make the “shushing” sound while holding your finger to your mouth
wh: bite into some white or wheat bread
ph: Pretend to talk on your invisible phone
Click here for a similar activity that you can print













