Before Letters Comes Sounds

 

Before Letters Comes Sounds: Preparing Little Ones for Reading Without Worksheets

As an educator, one thing I've noticed over the years is that when many parents hear the word "reading," they immediately think about reading books, sight words, and children sounding out sentences.

But when we're talking about a two, three, or four year old child, reading begins long before any of that.

Reading doesn't start with a reading book.

Reading starts with sounds.

Before children can read words, they need to hear sounds. They need to recognize sounds. They need to understand that words are made up of individual sounds that can be blended together.

This is known as phonological awareness, and research has consistently shown that it is one of the strongest predictors of future reading success.

In a landmark study, Bradley and Bryant (1983) found that young children who developed strong awareness of sounds within words became more successful readers later on. More recently, the National Reading Panel (2000) identified phonemic awareness as one of the essential foundations of learning to read.

Simply put, before children learn to read words, they need to learn to hear the sounds inside those words.

A Shift in How We Teach Reading

Here in Trinidad and Tobago, many of us grew up learning letters through the familiar approach of:

"A is for Apple."
"B is for Bat."
"C is for Cat."

While there is certainly value in learning letter names, modern research and classroom practice have shown that children benefit greatly when they also learn the sounds that letters make.

This is one reason why I strongly encourage a Jolly Phonics-inspired approach.

Rather than focusing solely on letter names, children are introduced to the sounds of letters first. Many children also learn accompanying actions or hand movements, which can help strengthen memory and recall through movement and repetition.

This approach makes learning more engaging and helps children connect sounds to symbols more naturally.

Why Letter Sounds Matter

Think about the word "sat."

A child cannot read the word "sat" simply because they know the names of the letters.

Instead, they need to know the sounds:

/s/ /a/ /t/

Once they know those sounds, they can blend them together:

"s...a...t..."

"sat"

This is why learning letter sounds is so important.

The sounds are what children use when they begin decoding and reading words independently.

Of course, children should still learn the names of the letters. As they grow older, they will need to identify and discuss letters by name.

However, for early reading success, sounds are often the key that unlocks the door.

Starting Small with Group One Sounds

One thing I love about the Jolly Phonics sequence is that children can begin reading surprisingly early.

The first group of sounds includes:

S, A, T, I, P, N

Once children become familiar with these sounds, they can already begin blending simple words while continuing to learn additional sounds.

For example:

I N = in
I T = it
I S = is
P I N = pin
P I T = pit
S A T = sat

This can be incredibly exciting for children because they quickly realize that the sounds they have been learning have a real purpose.

They are reading.

Preparing for Reading Through Play

The good news is that preparing children for reading does not require worksheets.

In fact, some of the most effective literacy activities feel like play.

Sound Hunts

Choose a sound and look for objects around the house that begin with that sound.

For example:

"/s/"

Sock
Spoon
Soap

This helps children connect sounds to real objects in their environment.

Rhyming Games

Children who recognize rhymes often develop stronger awareness of sounds within words.

You can play simple games such as:

"What rhymes with cat?"
"What rhymes with sun?"

The goal is not perfection but exposure.

Sound Stretching

Stretch out simple words during everyday conversation.

For example:

"I see a c-a-t."

Children begin noticing that words can be broken into smaller sounds.

Letter Sound Treasure Hunts

Hide letters around the room and have children find them.

When they find a letter, say its sound together rather than only its name.

Sensory Letter Play

Use sand, flour, rice, shaving cream, or playdough to explore letter shapes while repeating the letter sound.

This combines movement, touch, and sound, creating multiple pathways for learning.

If your child is not reading books yet, don't worry.

The journey to reading begins long before a child picks up a reader.

It starts with hearing sounds, noticing rhymes, recognizing patterns in language, and developing an understanding that words are made up of smaller sounds.

So before reaching for another worksheet, spend time playing with sounds.

Talk.

Listen.

Explore.

Blend.

Rhyme.

These simple experiences are helping to build the foundation for a lifetime of reading.

"Play is the highest form of research." – Albert Einstein

Alyssa Johnson
Founder & Educator | Excellence Tutoring Services by Alyssa
Phone: 18682673589
Email: tutoring.excellence@yahoo.com