Sound symbol relationships
Sound-Symbol Association & Literacy Development
English Courses / AEPA Reading Endorsement K-8 (AZ046): Practice & Study Guide Course / AEPA Reading K-8: Appropriate Literacy Intervention Chapter
Instructor: Christine ServaShow bio
Christine has an M.A. in American Studies, the study of American history/society/culture. She is an instructional designer, educator, and writer.
In this lesson, you'll find out why symbols and their sounds are important to new readers. You'll also put yourself in the shoes of a new reader and consider some of the challenges you faced when you first learned to read and write.
Sounds and Symbols
When you look at a letter, you are able to immediately identify that letter's name and the sounds it symbolizes.
It can be hard to recall that there was a time when you didn't have this knowledge and had to be taught the sounds of each letter.
Now imagine you want to learn Japanese. You see Japanese characters but don't know what sounds to make when you read them. This is a bit like how a child feels at first when learning to read and write.
This lesson highlights this relationship between sound and symbol, including reading and constructing words. You'll also learn the challenges new readers face as they work to develop literacy skills.
Phonemes and Graphemes
The relationship between sounds and symbols is sometimes described by the term phonics. Sometimes the term is also used to describe a method of teaching this relationship to students.
The written symbols of a language, such as letters or characters, are called graphemes. You can remember this term by thinking of how you draw a graph on paper, just like you can put letters on paper.
Phonemes is the term to describe the smallest units of sound in a word.
So if you break a word like cat down into its sounds, you have the /c/ sound, the /a/ sound, and the /t/ sound. You can remember the term phoneme by thinking of how phones produce sounds.
Phonics explores the relationship between graphemes (written symbols) and phonemes (each sound in a word). Note that phonics is not focused on the meanings of words, but on the connection between sound and symbol.
Reading and Constructing Words
Why is phonics so important? The process of connecting sounds to each symbol is a significant part of literacy development. Understanding phonics helps those learning to read with two major pieces of literacy: reading words and constructing words.
Reading words involves taking the symbols on the page, understanding the sounds that are related to those symbols, and then decoding the words they represent.
As a person learns to read, she is doing a bit of detective work, using clues to decipher what's in front of her. While it may seem obvious to you and me as experienced readers, to a new reader, the letters and words on the page are puzzles at first.
The ability to construct words is another benefit of learning phonics. When a new reader begins to understand the relationship between sounds and symbols, she can then create words herself, in addition to reading them.
A student learning to build words is a bit like an artist, using materials to create something. While you and I may put words on the page with ease as experienced writers, a new writer must carefully piece together symbols to represent the sounds she has in mind, until this becomes more second nature.
Challenges in Learning Phonics
It might sound like a natural process for a reader to pick up on the connection between letters and sounds. After all, don't reading skills always come in time?
Actually, many experts believe that a child who is not on target with her ability to recognize connections between sounds and symbols is in need of early intervention.
Strategic interventions are intended to support a child to avoid falling behind in her literacy development.
Phonics is also not always straightforward to teach and learn as it may first appear. Think about how some letters in English are pronounced very similar to others. For example, the letter ''f'' and the letter ''v'' can sound very similar. So if a student is aiming to learn how to spell the word ''fame,'' she may find it challenging to determine which letter fits with the sound that you hear at the start of the word.
Letter combinations can also create confusion, like when the sound /ch/ can sound like /j/ in a word like ''change.'' Teachers use strategies to help students overcome these difficulties.
Students with vision or hearing impairments or learning disabilities may face additional challenges in this area. Strategies need to address these different abilities. In particular, individuals with a learning disability known as dyslexia have difficulty processing the connection between sounds and the letters that represent them.
Individuals with dyslexia can benefit from support geared toward the reading challenges they face.
This is another reason why early intervention could prove important to a student struggling. A student who faces difficulties with learning to work with sounds and symbols together may actually be encountering a barrier such as these. If a child gets the support she needs early, she has a better chance of staying on pace to have strong literacy skills throughout the life course.
Lesson Summary
Phonics explores the relationship between graphemes (written symbols) and phonemes (each sound in a word). This connection between letters (including letter combinations) and sounds is critical to literacy development. Phonics is not focused on the meaning of words, but on reading and creating them. If a student struggles with phonics, early intervention is typically recommended to support the student.
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Alphabet games teaching sound symbol relationships letter names
Sound-Symbol Relationships: Early Reading Games with Letters and Sounds
One of the first skills that young children learn at school, is to recognise sound-symbol relationships.
That is, the connection between the letter names and the sounds made by them. Understanding sound-symbol relationships is a vital step in becoming independent with reading and writing.
While there are 26 letter names, and learning these is a huge task on its own, there are many more sounds. To break the job down into easier parts, early childhood teachers often focus on one letter at a time, and place the emphasis for younger learners, on the simplest or most common sound made by each letter. Most consonants make a simple short sound, like mmm for M, or zzz for Z. The vowels are much trickier. Teachers often start by looking at the "short" Aa, as in apple, the "short" Ee as in egg and so on. I have made some games with the focus on the "short", common sounds, but also have a selection of games that include other sounds - for example, Gg makes the hard sound like go, and the soft sound like giraffe, c makes the hard sound like cat, and the soft like city, and y makes different sounds at the beginning and end of words.
Learning all the letters and their sounds can be loads of fun with these games. There are lots of different ones, so children never lose interest, even if they are playing the games every day (which they will want to!).
Alphabet Card Game
This game has 26 picture-letter cards (showing both upper and lower case), and 12 special cards to add interest to the game.
Tic Tac Toe - Tricky letters (b and d)
A game that can be played quickly and repeatedly to reinforce the difference between similar letters.
Includes 12 letter cards to use in 'noughts and crosses' style game.
Tic Tac Toe - Tricky letters (b and p)
A game that can be played quickly and repeatedly to reinforce the difference between similar letters.
Includes 12 letter cards to use in 'noughts and crosses' style game.
Tic Tac Toe - Tricky letters (b and d)
A game that can be played quickly and repeatedly to reinforce the difference between similar letters.
Alphabet Dig Activity
This is an activity for learners who enjoy tactile experiences. Set up a shoe box or tray filled with sand. Children dig for letters and match them with the cards. The letters in the sand could be substituted with small objects beginning with the letter sound. Then learners would match the beginning sound of each object with a letter card. Upper and lower case letters are included.
Stardust Sounds Game - letters bfmrst
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. Players respond to the letters or pictures that they land on.
Stardust Sounds Game - letters dkhjlw
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. Players respond to the letters or pictures that they land on.
Stardust Sounds Game - letters cgnpvyz
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. Players respond to the letters or pictures that they land on.
Take 2 - letter sounds bktm
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. It contains a shared board and 32 picture cards.
Take 2 - letter sounds dfls
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. It contains a shared board and 32 picture cards.
Take 2 - letter sounds gphr
This is a game for younger learners who are making connections between letter symbols and sounds. It contains a shared board and 32 picture cards.
Alphabet Bingo -Simple
This game has matching cards that have the same letter and picture as the board, so it is ideal for very young learners who are just beginning to understand letter-sound relationships.
There are 4 boards and 24 cards.
Alphabet Bingo Boards (class set)Upper Case Cards Lower Case Cards
This set comprises 25 different boards with 8 lower case letters on each. Play with the whole class, using either matching lower case cards, or use upper case cards to give students experience in pairing them. The boards are very plain so children will remain focused on just the letters. They look good printed onto lots of different coloured cards, and students will enjoy swapping boards between games. This is a very useful activity for students still learning the letters, and it only takes short bursts of time for each game. Instructions for this game are included with both sets of Cards.
Elephant Capitals A game with upper case and lower case letters on cards. Players need to match the two to keep the pair. The board is shared, so the game moves quite quickly.
Mailbox Letters: upper and lower case letters A game with upper case and lower case letters on cards.
Players need to match the two to keep the pair. The board is shared, so the game moves quite quickly.
Jungle Capitals Board (Print 4 boards) Jungle Capitals Cards (Print 1 set of cards)
There are 2 kinds of cards: upper case (jungle) and lower case letters (snakes). Put upper case cards aside to be drawn at each turn. Each player puts 4 lower case cards on their board. Take turns to draw a card. If the matching letter is on your board, make a pair, and place another lower case card on your board. If it is not on your board, leave it face up on the table for other players to use when it is their turn. Play continues until all cards have been matched.
Trick or Treat Letter Sounds Matching beginning letter sounds with picture cards (with these letters: wgnvyk). Each player has a board. Place the cards face down and take turns to choose a card. If the player has a space for the matching sound, they keep it.
The first player to complete their board wins.
Carrots For Rabbits Matching beginning letter sounds with picture cards (with these letters: bftlms). Each player has a board. Place the cards face down and take turns to choose a card. If the player has a space for the matching sound, they keep it. The first player to complete their board wins.
Monkey Sounds Matching beginning letter sounds with picture cards (with these letters: hrpdjc). Each player has a board. Place the cards face down and take turns to choose a card. If the player has a space for the matching sound, they keep it. The first player to complete their board wins.
Hungry Parrot Game A game where players listen for the sounds at the beginnings of words by looking at pictures. Sounds included are: k,v,g,t,m,l,d,s,w
Instructions: Share picture cards between players. Place a letter card on the parrot's plate. All players look for pictures beginning with the letter sound card on display.
Place all cards that match onto the parrot. Players may place multiple cards at a time. When players are happy they have placed all their cards for this letter, a new letter card is selected. Play continues until one player has placed all their picture cards (or until everyone has).
Hungry Robot Game A game where players listen for the sounds at the beginnings of words by looking at pictures. Sounds included are: b,j,f,y,r,h,p,c,n,d
Instructions: Share picture cards between players. Place a letter card on the robot. All players look for pictures beginning with the letter sound card on display. Place all cards that match onto the robot. Players may place multiple cards at a time. When players are happy they have placed all their cards for this letter, a new letter card is selected. Play continues until one player has placed all their picture cards (or until everyone has).
Alphabet Sandwiches: Game 1 (Letters: a, b, l, m, s, t)
A simple game for children who are learning about letter sounds.
Each player collects the fillings for a sandwich by matching beginning letter sounds using pictures, and upper case and lower case letters.
Alphabet Sandwiches: Game 2 (Letters: c, e, h, n, q, y)
A simple game for children who are learning about letter sounds.
Each player collects the fillings for a sandwich by matching beginning letter sounds using pictures, and upper case and lower case letters.
Alphabet Sandwiches: Game 3 (Letters: d, f, j, o, r, u)
A simple game for children who are learning about letter sounds.
Each player collects the fillings for a sandwich by matching beginning letter sounds using pictures, and upper case and lower case letters.
Alphabet Sandwiches: Game 4 (Letters: g, i, k, p, w, v, z)
A simple game for children who are learning about letter sounds.
Each player collects the fillings for a sandwich by matching beginning letter sounds using pictures, and upper case and lower case letters.
Alphabet Sandwiches: Game Instructions
The letters have been grouped into 4 different games, but are all interchangeable. Teachers may select the letters of most use to a particular group of students, and combine them to introduce or revise each letter sound. The individual cards could also be used in a "Letter of the Week" display or activities. This game involves a lot of preparation with the cutting and laminating and cutting again (if you choose to do it this way), but it is bound to become a favourite with beginning learners!
Alphabet Bingo: Upper and Lower Case with picture clues
A simple game for children who are learning about upper and lower case letters.
(boards for 4 players)
Alphabet Bingo: Upper and Lower Case
Free resource
A simple game for children who are learning about upper and lower case letters.
(boards for 4 players)
Alphabet Match: Landscape of Letters (letters: a b d e f h i j l m r s t)
This game uses pictures to assist young learners with the letter sounds.
There are 26 picture cards to match the 13 letters included (2 for each letter).
Alphabet Match: A sea of Letters (letters: c g k n o p q u v w x y z)
This game uses pictures to assist young learners with the letter sounds. There are 25 picture cards to match the 13 letters included (2 for each letter except x).
End of the Rainbow Alphabet Game (card game)
This game uses pictures to assist young learners with the letter sounds. There are 26 picture-letter cards - one for every letter and 12 End of the Rainbow cards.
Little Pigs Alphabet Game (card game)
There are 26 letter cards and 12 special cards.
Chicken Laid an Egg Alphabet Game (card game)
Free resource
This game has 26 letter cards (showing both upper and lower case), and 12 Laid an egg! cards.
Billy Goats Alphabet Game (card game)
This game has 26 picture-letter cards (showing both upper and lower case), and 12 special cards.
This game include the option of using some extra cards that show the soft c and g, and the long vowel sounds.
Cute Dinosaur Uno (card game with letters: s m t a e b f r d o)
A game to support the visual recognition and matching of letters as well as naming letters or sounds.
Space Uno (card game with letters: s m t a e b f r d o)
A game to support the visual recognition and matching of letters as well as naming letters or sounds.
Backyard Creatures Uno (card game with letters: c i o n g h j l p a)
Free resource
A game to support the visual recognition and matching of letters as well as naming letters or sounds.
Triple Tower Letter Games 1 & 2 (1 game with letters: m s b t a f; 1 game with letters: r l h d e k)
Triple Tower Letter Games 3 & 4 (1 game with letters: i g o n p c; 1 game with letters: w y u q v j)
A game to support the visual recognition of letters as well as naming letters or sounds.
External Links to
Online Games and Activities
Starfall Alphabet Books and Activities
Sound-Symbol Relationships: Clifford Game
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Zaryanica.
Skylight Language GitHub Theory of symbolism is part of the Patterns of Aktika and is covered in the Clearances section, which can be found in this presentation:
Aktika Patterns. Clearances
Together with the presentation of the theory of symbolism, this section creates a special language of gaps - the symbolic language.
"Zaryanitsa" is a visual symbolic language created on the basis of the matrix of the traditional Belarusian folk ornament.
"Zaryanitsa" is the result of applying the general principles of symbolism and constructive linguistics. This is not an explanation of the ornament in its traditional meaning. The study of such a language allows you to learn symbolism in an active way, as a skill and skill.
In the understanding of Aktika's Patterns, a symbol is a sign that means itself, its action - the action of creating a sign. The symbolic meaning of the sound is the effort to create it, and the image - the movement to draw it.
When the meaning of a name is arbitrary, then the meaning of a symbol is represented by itself. Symbolism precedes language.
The character is created by the sign matrix by the character matrix. The meaning is superimposed on the matrix of the sign as a weft thread on the basis of the fabric. The meaning of the symbol shines through the matrix of the sign, therefore the symbol in Aktika Patterns is called clearance. The sign matrix is always present in any character.
Symbolism is based on the correspondence of two wholenesses, large and small - macrocosm and microcosm. Great integrity is the whole world, in general, the whole meaning. A small integrity is the sign matrix. Everything that exists in a large integrity has a place in a small one. Great integrity may be diminished, but the principle of correspondence always remains.
All gaps of one matrix make up a circle of gaps.
Any meaning corresponds to one of the gaps. And, since the sign matrix rasterizes and simplifies the meaning, many meanings correspond to one character.
On the one hand, the meaning of a symbol as an action is universal. On the other hand, it depends on the great integrity with which the sign matrix is related. This integrity must be known to users of the symbolic language. The primary meaning of a symbol is its action, and only secondarily is the object or phenomenon that embodies it. The symbol does not have a stable subject fixation. The verbal translation of a symbol translates it into the order of the language, and the symbolism disappears.
(left to right, top to bottom)
- birth, emergence, beginning
- completion, coverage, stop
- flow, movement, casting
- shift, direction, control
- connection, connection, unity
- crossing, overcoming, crossing
- support, support, lift
- Kolovrat, axle, act
- result, harvest, achievement
- growth, development, shoot
- fullness, middle, inside
- scope, scope, security
- movement, circulation, flexibility
- holding, axle, maturity
- emptiness, space, everything
- multiplication, growth, appearance
- collection, connection, conjugation
- collection, connection, conjugation
- cover, protection, protection
- creation, measure, conformity
- match, reciprocity, correspondence
- origin, source, power
- branch, divergence, development
- closing, closing, burial/hiding
- division, separateness, co-ownership
Symbolic language or the language of gaps becomes possible when the gap is included in the sentence matrix.
Clearance language is a language only at the level of syntax. Any individual opening of Zaryanica is already a proposal. In a single matrix, clearance becomes an act of or a predicate.
Move
Parts of a sentence are separated by a cross. In the dual lumen matrix, the first lumen means person or subject, and the second is the act.
Overcoming occurs
In the triple matrix, the first gap means a person, the second one an act, and the third one an object. In Zaryanica, the offer matrix can only have three cells. All other relations (causes, locus, results) are expressed by the complication of a simple sentence.
Overcoming goes to completion
Each part of the sentence can have not only one gap, but the whole relationship matrix . In the relationship matrix, the first part is always the main part, and the second part is dependent.
There are two types of relationship matrix. The first kind is called the convolution matrix, means identity relations and is expressed by the words "that which". Identity relationships are represented by a cross with a parenthesis on top.
Victory that returns
The second kind is called the scan matrix , it means the relationship of ownership and is expressed by the words "the one with". Ownership relationships are represented by a cross with a parenthesis below.
Victory Return
When the second part of the matrix of relations is also filled with the matrix of relations, more complex additions are formed - the development of the convolution and the convolution of the development.
Brilliant Victory Brilliant Return
Brilliant overcoming goes to full accomplishment
The sentence can be folded into a denser unit - root.
Actually, one clearance is already a unit root. Two gaps form a double root, and three - a triple. There cannot be a relationship matrix inside the root.
When complex roots are included in the relationship matrix, words are formed.
Brilliant-overcoming swiftly-goes towards full-fulfillment
The offer matrix can be filled with offers. In this case, a story or a developed sentence is created. Parts of the story are separated by crosses with brackets above and below.
The fact that overcoming occurs leads to the fulfillment of accomplishment
Several consecutive sentences form canvas or text. Canvas sentences are separated by a special break sign.
Overcoming occurs. Accomplishment being fulfilled
"Zaryanitsa" is a fairly easy symbolic language, which can be learned in half an hour.
Like all symbolic languages, it is the language of poetry and magic.
Oles Ryazanov's poem "The Sower" translated into "Zaryanitsa" will look like this:
The warrior will not return, the wanderer won't come back the sower will return... The sower always returns Oles Ryazanov
Symbolic translation can be much simpler. This is how a symbolic performance of a song about a spring and a girl might look like:
And what about that little krynichenka, why are you swimming blue? And dze taya dzyachynonka, why am I zalyatsya? Oh, sorry, sorry for me, take me people, take me people, but I won’t be. And zho z tae krynichhenkі shafts water p'yuts. And zho that dzyachynonka by the hand vyaduts. Oh, sorry, sorry for me, take me people, take me people, but I won’t be. And I'll thrash the thuy krynіchenka, And I will call that dzyachynonka to peraklіch.
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