Linking Sound, Sense and Symbol

  
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. From the Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum
3. From the Classroom
4. From the Past
5. Some Book Suggestions
6. Newsletter Information

Introduction

by Anne Hunt and Cindy Hatt

Teaching about the sound structure of our language is crucial. What should be debated is not whether we teach sound and symbols, but how we teach them.

In the November, 1998 issue of Young Children Polly Greenberg writes, "You'll note, if you read them, that the 1998 International Reading Association/National Association of Education of Young Children joint position statement and the National Academy of Sciences report - as well as three famous 1960's reports by Chall, Bond and Dykstra - explain the importance of developing knowledge of the alphabet and alphabetic principles (especially in context, through reading and writing). P.36

One alphabetic principle is the insight that words consist of letters, and that those letters represent speech sounds in a left to right fashion. To facilitate this understanding, children must have some knowledge of the alphabet, including the ability to identify and distinguish letters. They must also be aware that spoken words are made up of small units of sound (phonemes). Generally, children acquire this understanding through the experience of seeing print used in a variety of contexts - shopping lists, bus schedules, advertising, recipes, street signs, catalogues, magazines and books.

When children are first learning letter names it is important not to overwhelm them with the letter name, shape and sound all at once. Work with what the children know, or want to know. Their name is an important starting point. Post names on labels or index cards. Involve them in identifying names, finding names that start and end with the same letter, etc. Cut names into separate letters and have children reassemble. Form names with clay. Provide sign up sheets for activities. Participate in ordering hot lunch.

Children's knowledge of the alphabet will certainly need to expand beyond the letters in their own names. Just as their name is a meaningful text, children should be encountering print in various other meaningful reading/writing opportunities. Attention can be drawn to letter names and features during any of these experiences, such as morning messages, journal writing and shared reading.

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From theAtlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum

This figure from our Atlantic Language Arts Curriculum Document (P. 159), shows three cueing systems which fit inside the large, and encompassing system labelled Pragmatics-practical, or meaningful circumstances surrounding the reading/writing experience. Although this newsletter focuses on graphophonics it is important to understand that good readers/writers employ all three inner cueing systems; semantics/meaning, syntax/ how language works, and graphonophonics /the sound structure in a rich and rapid interaction.

Teachers "provide many opportunities for students to play with words in oral language to support the development of phonological awareness." (APEF Language Arts Curriculum, p.162) Songs, rhymes and chants are an important part of this language play. Teachers also help children to understand that the sounds of oral language can be segmented into small units, phonemes. "Research shows that being able to segment and blend language is an essential skill if students are able to use graphophonic cues effectively in reading" (p.162) eg. "bat" and "ball" start with the same sound and segmenting "play" into its three sounds "p/l/a/". As children come to understand the individual sounds they are better able to make the sound/symbol connections known as phonics. Temporary spelling is a powerful tool in helping children experiment with their growing knowledge of letter names and sounds while at the same time allowing them to progress through developmental stages.

"Students build upon their phonological awareness in oral language as they learn to use their developing knowledge of how letters/sounds work." ( P.163) "From the Classroom" shows how a child's growing awareness of sound symbol correspondence can be documented in their writing.


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From the Classroom

What does this child know about sound and symbol? She knows we can "say" something on paper, that convention dictates that writing flows from left to right, top to bottom and that specific symbols are used. At this point it appears there is no sound/symbol connection being made. However, the length of the utterance matches the amount of text.

This child has begun to make some connections between sound and symbol. "i" for I, "Y" for the sound the letter w makes, "B" for biking. The remaining letters in the text are all conventional symbols. This child confidently connects sound and symbol in both conventional and temporary spellings.

This child has a well developed understanding of alphabetic principles. Often, as children become more conventional in their spelling the number and variety of words they attempt drops.

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From the Past

Many nursery rhymes use sound and pattern to tickle our ears and tongue. Anthologies of children's poems can be a valuable resource for helping young readers/writers link the sounds of language with text.

"Kookoorookoo! Kookoorookoo!"

Crows the cock before the morn;

"Kikirikee! Kikirikee!"

Roses in the east are born.

 

Kookoorookoo! Kookoorookoo!

Early birds begin their singing;

Kikirikee! Kikirikee!

The day, the day, the day is springing. -Christina Rossetti

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Some Book Suggestions

Alphabet books have a long history. In the 18th century, the New England Primer presented children not only with the letters but with a moral code to live by. A, In Adam's fall we sinned all. B, Thy life to mend this Book(the Bible) attend. F, The idle Fool is whipt at school. The following list is just a small sample of the appealing and stimulating contemporary alphabet books with modern day messages.

Mitsumasa Anno's Anno's Alphabet presents a visual challenge as the reader tries to follow the wood grained surface of each letter.

Sandra Boynton's, A is for Angry begins with a procession of "angry animals advancing along an arrow" each carrying a sign. Her comical drawings and offbeat sense of humour make this a laugh-out-loud experience.

Barry Miller's Alphabet World and Stephen Johnson's Alphabet City, a Caldecott Honour Book, both use photographs of the real world. It is fun to find the letters hidden in the photos.

Lois Ehlert's Eating the Alphabet, Fruits and Vegetable from A to Z is a vibrant experience. Ehlert's colours are magnificent and she even finds something for the letter X. Multiple sounds for the same letter introduce the complexity of the relationship between sound and symbol. Older children will enjoy the glossary at the end which gives the origin and correct pronunciation of each fruit and vegetable.

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Newsletter Information

Editors: Anne Hunt, Pam Nason and Pam Whitty