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Sound-to-Letter Match

Run the Sound-to-Letter Match MicroSim Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

The Sound-to-Letter Match MicroSim practices the inverse of typical "see letter, say sound" activities. Children hear a sound and must find the letter that makes it. This strengthens bidirectional letter-sound connections essential for both reading (decoding) and spelling (encoding).

Features

  • 16 Consonant Sounds: Focuses on unambiguous consonant mappings
  • Audio First: Sound plays automatically each round
  • Visual Letter Grid: Large, clickable letter buttons
  • Hint System: Optional word hints when needed
  • 5-Round Games: Short sessions maintain attention
  • Score Tracking: Monitors progress across rounds
  • Celebration Effects: Star particles reward correct answers

How to Play

  1. Listen: A sound plays automatically (click "Play Sound" to hear again)
  2. Think: Which letter makes that sound?
  3. Click: Tap the letter you think matches
  4. Check: See if you're correct
  5. Continue: Click to move to the next round
  6. Use Hints: Click "Hint" if you need help

Letters Included

The game focuses on 16 consonant letters with clear, unambiguous sounds:

B, D, F, G, H, J, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W, Z

Iframe Example

You can include this MicroSim on your website using the following iframe:

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/reading-for-kindergarten/sims/sound-to-letter-match/main.html"
        height="472px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, students will be able to:

  1. Remember: Recall which letters make specific sounds
  2. Understand: Explain the sound-to-letter relationship
  3. Apply: Match heard sounds to their written letters
  4. Analyze: Distinguish between similar sounds (/m/ vs /n/)

Why Sound-to-Letter?

Most phonics instruction goes from letter to sound (see B, say /b/). But spelling requires the reverse - hearing /b/ and knowing to write B. This "reversal" practice strengthens both pathways:

  • Reading: Letter → Sound (decoding)
  • Spelling: Sound → Letter (encoding)

Suggested Activities

  1. Sound Dictation: Teacher says sounds, students write letters
  2. Sound Sorting: Sort objects by their beginning sound/letter
  3. Mystery Sound: Play "I'm thinking of a letter that says..."
  4. Partner Quiz: Students take turns making sounds for each other

Assessment Opportunities

  • Track which sound-letter pairs cause difficulty
  • Note if students confuse similar sounds (/b/ vs /p/, /m/ vs /n/)
  • Observe strategy use (sounding out, using hints)

Differentiation

  • Support: Start with just 4-6 highly distinct sounds; provide picture cues
  • Challenge: Add timing pressure or reduce hint availability

Common Confusions

  • /m/ and /n/ (both continuous nasal sounds)
  • /b/ and /p/ (both lip sounds, differ in voicing)
  • /d/ and /t/ (both tongue-tip sounds, differ in voicing)

Technical Notes

  • Uses p5.js for interactive graphics
  • Web Speech API for sound pronunciation
  • Web Audio API for feedback sounds
  • Touch and mouse input supported
  • Responsive design adapts to container width

References