Initial Sounds Picture Sets

Initial Sounds Picture Sets

These Initial Sounds Picture Sets are designed to help children learn to hear/identify the sound at the start of the words (and also identify the corresponding letter). There are printable picture cards for each letter of the alphabet. Some long vowel words have been included as well (as an extension).

How to use:

* Print and cut out the cards. (Package them in sets for ease of use. Laminate if required).

* Some letters contain 2-3 pages of picture cards, while others only have 2 pictures. This is due to the nature of the letter/sound. Some sounds don’t have many words starting with them, or words that are a physical object you can make an image of that’s easily understandable by the children. However, most letters have lots of picture cards.

* Some sets contain a couple of versions of the same object (eg. an illustrated cow image and a realistic A.I. generated cow image. You can use both or pick your favourite.

* Some of the objects in the pictures are pronounced differently in different areas or may be more commonly called by another name. Just discard any cards that don’t work for you and use the ones that do.

* There are a number of ways you can use them:

- To build initial awareness, introduce just one sound eg. “s”. Children look at the “s” picture cards and say what is on the card, noting that they all start with a “ssss” sound eg. star, snake. You could put them in a sensory bin for extra fun eg. a tub of sand. Add real objects beginning with that sound as well if you have them eg. a toy spider.

- Get the children really listening to and sorting the initial sounds by presenting them with the set pictures for a focus sound eg. “t”, plus pictures containing other initial sounds from other sets. Use the letter cards with the picture sets and stick the “t” card on a bowl and the “t” with the cross through it (“not a t”) on another bowl. Children sort the pictures they find into the “t” or “not a t” bowls. This works really well when the pictures are hidden in a sensory tub or around the room so the children get to hunt for the pictures. Use objects/toys along with the cards if you have them.

- Use two or three sets of initial sounds picture cards (or more if children are revising) at a time and set up a bowl for each with their sound stuck on the bowl so the children can sort the pictures into their initial sounds. Using objects/small toys that start with those sounds as well adds another level of interest.

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