What activity helps children learn letter sounds?

Segmenting beginning sounds is a highly effective activity for teaching children letter sounds because it involves breaking down words into their individual sounds, particularly focusing on the first sound in a word. This phonemic awareness skill is crucial for early literacy development, as it helps children recognize the connection between sounds and their corresponding letters. By isolating the initial sounds in words, children can develop a clearer understanding of how sounds form the basis of language, facilitating their ability to decode words when reading and improve their spelling skills.

In contrast, while silent reading and listening to stories can foster overall literacy skills and expose children to language patterns, they do not specifically target the learning of letter sounds in the same direct manner as segmenting beginning sounds does. Writing letters repeatedly may help with motor skills and letter formation, but it also does not emphasize the auditory connection between sounds and letters as effectively as segmenting does. Thus, segmenting beginning sounds stands out as the most focused and effective method for helping children learn letter sounds.