The Importance of Letter Sounds (full show notes here) Alphabetic Principle - having knowledge of letters and the sounds that make up those letters.  Letter name knowledge is the best predictor of reading achievement from kindergarten to 2nd grade.  We must be sure that letter sounds stick. Explicit Systematic Consistent  Alphabet instruction must be three things: Explicit HOW we are teaching letter sounds. If you’re teaching the letter m to your students, you may not initially show them the actual letter. Instead, you may show them a picture of a mouse, moon, or muffins. Teacher:  “Mindy the mouse makes muffins.  What sound do you hear at the beginning of those words?” Students: “/m/!” Systematic (Sequential) WHY we are teaching letter sounds. We must: Example: A scope and sequence that covers letters b, d, p in the same week would not be beneficial to students because of how similar those letters are. teach in a variety of ways - from simple to complex. be purposeful. choose a scope and sequence that makes sense. Consistency WHAT we are teaching our students. What activities are we using to help move the needle forward? Choose 4-5 activities that students are familiar with and use them for each letter sound you teach.  When you introduce a new letter, do it in the same manner you did it for the previous letter. Routine, routine, routine! Additional Resources & References: FREE Resources:  FREE Short Vowel Intensive FREE Find It! Dot It! FREE Spin It, Say It, Write It Letter Sound Resources: Alphabet Boot Camp Letter Name and Sound Sorts Letter Name Recognition Letter Sound Strips References: Episode 5: Five Fun Ways to Practice Phonemic Awareness 10 Simple Letter Sound Recognition Activities Teacher Prerequisites for Teaching Letter Sounds Making Letter Sounds Stick **Want my most requested resources for FREE?? No problem, gift-giving is my love language! Head to this link and snag them!!