What practices should teachers follow when teaching the relationship between sounds and letters?

Incorporating multi-sensory modalities within various instructional strategies and materials is essential when teaching the relationship between sounds and letters. This approach recognizes that students have different learning styles and that engaging multiple senses can enhance understanding and retention. For instance, using auditory methods (hearing sounds and phonics), visual techniques (seeing letters and words), and tactile experiences (manipulating letters with hands or using letter tiles) allows students to connect sounds with letters more effectively.

This multi-faceted strategy accommodates diverse learners, providing them with various pathways to grasp the connection between letters and sounds. By integrating these different modalities, teachers can help all students, including those who may struggle with traditional teaching methods, to succeed in literacy development. This approach also fosters a more engaging and interactive learning environment, making the process of learning sounds and letters more dynamic and effective.