Phonics Practice · Step 1 of 12
Letters and sounds
Big and small letters, the sound each letter makes, and the first sound in a word.
Made by Teddy Rook Book to practice alongside Hannah Ward's lessons. It is not part of her curriculum. About this practice
For grown-ups
What this step teaches
Every letter has a name (bee) and a sound (/b/). Reading starts with the sounds. This step practices matching big and small letters, finding the letter for a sound, and hearing the first sound in a word.
As you practice: Say each sound short and clear. Hold the sounds you can hold (mmm, sss, fff); keep the others crisp, with no “uh” after them.
Away from the screen
- Sing the alphabet song while you point to each letter on a chart.
- Play “I spy something that starts with /m/.” Say the sound, not the letter name.
- Trace letters in a tray of salt or sand, or make them from play dough, saying the sound as you go.
- Match magnetic letters: a big A with a small a.
With Hannah's lessons
Goes with Hannah's Crystal and Shell Pre-Reading Workbook and her Teach Your Child the Alphabet in 60 Lessons. Do her lesson first, then a few minutes here with the letters your child has met.
🐚 Pre-Reading Workbook🔤 The Alphabet in 60 Lessons
Hannah's lessons may bring in sounds in a different order. Follow her order, and use the step here that matches what she has taught.
The letter sounds, and how to say them
Say pure, short sounds: /m/ is “mmm,” not “muh,” and /t/ is a crisp /t/, not “tuh.” The voice on this page only says whole words, because computer voices add “uh” to single sounds.
- a as in appleShort a, the sound at the start of apple. You can hold it: “aaa.”
- b as in busLips together, then a quick pop. Keep it short: /b/, not “buh.”
- c as in catHere c says /k/, as in cat. Short and quiet, from the back of the mouth, with no “uh” after it.
- d as in dogTongue taps behind the top teeth. Short: /d/, not “duh.”
- e as in eggShort e, the sound at the start of egg. You can hold it.
- f as in fishTop teeth on the bottom lip; let the air hiss out: “fff.”
- g as in goatHard g, as in goat. Short, from the back of the mouth: /g/, not “guh.”
- h as in hatJust a short, quiet puff of breath.
- i as in iglooShort i, the sound at the start of igloo. You can hold it.
- j as in juiceShort: /j/ as in juice, not “juh.”
- k as in keyThe same sound as c in cat. Short and quiet, no “uh.”
- l as in lionTongue up behind the top teeth, and hold it: “lll.”
- m as in moonLips together and hum: “mmm,” not “muh.”
- n as in nutTongue up behind the top teeth; hum through the nose: “nnn.”
- o as in octopusShort o, the sound at the start of octopus. Open wide; you can hold it.
- p as in pigLips together, then a little puff of air. Short and quiet: /p/, not “puh.”
- qu as in quackq nearly always comes with u. Together they say /kw/, as in quack.
- r as in rabbitHold it: “rrr,” not “ruh.”
- s as in sunLike a snake: “sss.”
- t as in turtleTongue taps behind the top teeth with a little puff of air. Short: /t/, not “tuh.”
- u as in umbrellaShort u, the sound at the start of umbrella. You can hold it.
- v as in vanTop teeth on the bottom lip, and buzz: “vvv.”
- w as in webRound your lips, then open them. Keep it short: /w/, not “wuh.”
- x as in foxx usually says /ks/, the sound at the end of fox.
- y as in yarnThe sound at the start of yarn. Keep it short: /y/, not “yuh.”
- z as in zebraBuzz like a bee: “zzz.”