Pilinut Press, Inc.^TM

Basic Alphabet Code: The Link Between Sounds and Letters

The alphabet represents distinct sounds in our language called phonemes. Each phoneme is mapped to a letter or group of letters. Children are born with the ability to pick out these sounds. To teach them to read and write, we need to show them how to represent these sounds with letters. Always teach from a known point in someone’s understanding to the new unknown point. So, in the case of someone learning the language, go from the sound to the letter or letter combination. Say the sound, show the letter. The chart shows the sounds, gives examples, and then gives the spelling.

Link to Chart

Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.