If you have been following my posts, you know that the first step in beginning to teach someone to read, is to teach them the concept of breaking words into sounds and putting them back together. Once they have mastered this step its time to start introducing the letters!
But, before you start, we need to address 3 common misconceptions and how to fix them.
Misconception #1: You need to know the names of the letters to read
You want to teach the letter sounds first. It doesn't matter if they know the letter names at this point. In fact, they really don't need to know the letter names until they start spelling, or learning sight words. You use the letter names to talk to other people about words, not to read. I know it may sound like a crazy idea, but you sound out the words with their sounds not their names.
Misconception #2: You need to learn the sounds in order
Actually, it's better to start with sounds that are easy to drag out like s, m, f, v, and l. You also need to learn at least one vowel. I usually start with a because it makes the most words and phrases.
Misconception #3: You need to learn all of the sounds before you start reading
Starting with 3-5 letter sounds is a much more manageable chunk. This gives the learner the chance to master a few simple things before they begin to work with the magic of reading.
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