Identifying Initial Sounds in Words – a Word for Word activity idea for use with your FREE download.

 

To help you make the most of your free download, here is another idea for using your FREE grapheme (letter) cards. We recommend you print the letter cards on strong card. If you can laminate them in order to make them last longer than that would be great too. Cut out each individual card.

 

Your child should be able to say the phoneme (sound) when you point to the letter card and point to the grapheme (letter) when you say the sound. The Word for Word manual outlines how to teach the sounds. Once your child has accomplished this, it is important to focus on listening to the sounds in words. Children should be able to identify sounds at the beginning, end and middle of words (in this order).

 

Try this with your child using the cards in your download. Ask your child to point to the card that represents/shows the sound you hear at the start of each word.

 

 

Jumble up the words from the lists below. To begin with, you may need to stretch out the sounds of the words as you say them. Say the word, e.g, sun, stretch it (sss-uuu-nnn),and repeat it again (sun). Ask your child to tell you the first sound they heard and then point to the correct card.

 

S – sun, sod, sit, sad, set, say, see, sir, sore, sand, seat, sage, sigh, sack, sail, soap, silk, soup, seal, soft, self, side, seem, sell, some, such, same, said, salt, seed.

 

M – man, men, may, met, mix, mad, mum, max, mob, meg, mug, mat, mob, muck, mire, mull, moat, morn, mush, moan, mink, male, meld, moot, mead, moor, mule, mast, milk, mist.

 

N – nip, nap, nit, nod, net, now, nun, nor, nil, net, nag, null, noun, nine, nosh, numb, null, nope, nest, nail, norm, neat, neck, node, name, noon, need, nice, news, next.

 

A – at, an, and, art, axe, ask, add, amp, arm, apt, ant, app, axle, acne, acid, away, apple, ankle, amuse, alone, abbey, aroma, amber, alive, atlas, awake, angle, album, alert, angry.

 

E – ebb, elf, err, egg, elm, else, edge, exit, epic, edit, exam, edgy, etch, every, elect, error, exact, empty, elder, excel, elbow, ethic, effort, editor, expect, escape, eleven, educate, elephant, essence.

 

I – in, it, if, ill, inn, ink, ilk, into, inch, itch, image, issue, inner, inlet, igloo, income, ignore, inside, import, injure, iguana, inform, impose, invite, inform, ignite, insect, inject, imagine, infant.

 

Our next post will feature lists of words you can use to support your child in identifying ending sounds. I hope this is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog here so that you never miss a post!

Click here for your FREE Word for Word (Stages 1 – 4) sample.