Cracking the Reading Code: The Alphabetic Principle
Understand that print is a code for sounds and take the mystery out of what reading is…and what it isn’t.
What is the Alphabetic Principle?
The true foundation of reading is something called the alphabetic principle. It is a vital aspect of reading and writing. This is the idea that our letters are symbols that represent speech sounds. Significantly, it is the connection between letters and their sounds. Children who can associate the letter “m” with the /mmm/ sound have a grasp of the alphabetic principle. Furthermore, if a child knows at least some letter sounds, they will be able to blend those sounds together to form words. Reading development is dependent on an understanding of the alphabetic principle. This allows young readers to apply these sound spelling relationships to both families and unfamiliar words, and it is crucial for word level fluency.
Two Components of the Alphabetic Principle
Knowing that words are made up of letters that represent speech sounds helps readers “sound out” words and write them accurately. There are two parts to the alphabetic principle: understanding that words are made of letters that represent sounds, and knowing how to translate letters into sounds to read and write words.
The alphabetic principle is crucial in understanding text. Moreover, children who can use it fluently and automatically can focus on understanding the meaning of the words. However, learning and applying the alphabetic principle takes time and can be challenging for kids. English is especially tricky, as the same letter can represent different sounds depending on the word. For example, the letter ‘o’ can represent the sound /aw/ in the word ‘not’ or that same letter can represent a different sound – the sound /oh/ like in the word note.
Incorporating the Alphabetic Principle into Phonics Instruction
A strong phonics lesson will always include a quick review of letters and the sounds they represent, as well as explicit instruction of any new letter/sound relationships.
Help your child by practicing recognizing sounds in spoken words and associating them with letters. With patience and practice, they’ll master the alphabetic principle and become confident readers!
Reinforcing the Alphabetic Principle at Home
Reinforcing the Alphabetic Principle at Home
Five ways to build the alphabetic principle are:
- Start by introducing the letter’s sound when introducing the alphabet
- Include letters in phonological awareness activities
- Connect letters to their corresponding sounds using visual aids
- Practice spelling words using letter-sound correspondence
- Encourage students to understand the relationships between sounds and letters.
