.png)
When your child is learning to read, you may have found yourself saying, “Just sound it out!” While this advice seems helpful, it often leads to frustration for young readers because it oversimplifies how reading actually works.
Many words in English don’t follow simple letter-sound patterns. Words like "was," "come," and "said" can’t be easily sounded out by an early reader. When children rely solely on this strategy, they can get stuck, confused, or resort to guessing, which can undermine their confidence and slow their progress.
Instead of saying, "sound it out," try teaching your child to carefully look at the letters and sounds in a word. Encourage them to use their phonics knowledge—understanding how letters represent sounds—and break the word into parts they recognize. For example, with the word "chat," help them see that /ch/ is one sound (a consonant digraph), and /a/ then /t/ as separate sounds. If your child isn’t familiar with the concept of consonant digraphs, it’s important to teach them that two letters can work together to represent one sound. This approach not only helps your child decode words more accurately but also gives you insight into what they know and what they still need to learn.
Taking the time to coach your child through using their phonics skills accomplishes two key things. First, it empowers them to think critically, building independence and confidence as they learn to "crack the code" of written language. Second, it provides valuable information about your child’s reading and phonics skills, highlighting areas where they may need further instruction—insights you won’t gain by simply saying “sound it out.”
If you're looking for more support to help your child become a confident reader and writer, contact Kelly at Kelly's Reading Club. We’re here to guide both you and your child on the path to literacy success!
Comments