Help your child become aware of the letters in words

It is important for your child to learn to match the sound she or he hears with the letter of the alphabet that represents that sound. So, an important tip is to help your child become aware of the letters in words. Develop a small set of core words and build from there. To build your core three or four words, try the following.

• Begin with "favorite" names and words, such as her or his own name, a favorite toy, the family pet, a favorite food, etc.
• Begin with letters that have only one sound (e.g., t, f, m, p etc. rather than vowels)
• Begin with words that have very different sounds from other core words (e.g., p versus s) and very different shapes (e.g., m versus t)
• Find fun ways to spell the words, for example with magnetic letters on the refrigerator, with pasta shells or beads, tracing in sand or pudding
• Look for your core words in the world around you and help your child notice them.

Enjoy this time together!

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