Sound Spelling Cards

Sound Spelling Teaching Cards provide children with a multisensory approach to learning phonics!

Sound Spelling Teaching Cards provide a structured, research-based toolkit for teaching phonics through systematic, explicit instruction. Designed to support visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners, these cards help students confidently decode words, recognize spelling patterns, and build a strong foundation in reading and spelling.

Why Sound Spelling Teaching Cards Work

Research highlights the effectiveness of explicit phonics instruction in early literacy development. The National Reading Panel (2000) found that systematic phonics instruction significantly improves word recognition, spelling, and reading comprehension. These teaching cards embed sound spellings within vibrant images, using visual mnemonics to enhance memory retention (Ehri, 2014).

Each card focuses on a specific sound spelling, paired with a keyword example to reinforce learning. For instance, when teaching the Long A sound, students explore eight different spellings (e.g., AI as in "rain"), discovering related words like wait, pail, and snail. This approach helps students recognize patterns and understand spelling variations, a crucial skill for decoding (Treiman, 2018).

How to Use the Sound Spelling Cards

1. Select a Sound Spelling
   • Choose a specific sound spelling to introduce, such as Long A. 
   • Display all 8 corresponding cards, each showcasing a different way to spell the sound.
2. Focus on One Spelling at a Time 
   • Present all spelling variations together but direct attention to one spelling at a time. 
   • Guide students through recognizing the sound-spelling relationship in words.
3. Interactive Learning and Hands-on Practice
   • Encourage students to create word lists, categorizing words by spelling pattern. 
   • Have children practice word-building activities which reinforce phonemic awareness and spelling retention (Graham, Harris, & Santangelo, 2015)

Why the Sound Spelling Cards are so Effective

• Provides structured, research-backed phonics instruction.
  
• Supports multisensory learning with visuals, movement, and auditory reinforcement.
  
• Helps students recognize and apply spelling patterns for confident reading and spelling.
  
• Ideal for individual instruction, small groups, or whole-class phonics lessons.

What's Included