22/09/2026
Here is how to break down an isolate sounds and how you can practice it at home.
👉 Isolating Sounds: Identifying the first sound in the word 'cat' as /k/.
How can you do this? Use coloured counters and ask your child: "What's the first sound you can hear, the middle sound, and the end sound?"
Start with the beginning sound, then the final sound, and lastly the middle sound.
👉Blending Sounds: Combining individual sounds /s/ /a/ /t/ to form the word 'sat'.
Tip: Practice blending single letters with vowels before introducing digraphs.
👉Segmenting Sounds: Breaking down the word 'dog' into its sounds /d/ /o/ /g/ using counters or tapping the word out.
👉Deleting Sounds: Removing the /b/ sound from 'bat' to form 'at'.
👉Substituting Sounds: Changing the /m/ in 'mat' to /r/ to make 'rat'.
Have you tried using physical objects like counters or blocks when practicing sounds at home?