In the context of phonics instruction, what is the term for connecting sounds to letters?

The term for connecting sounds to letters in the context of phonics instruction is grapheme-phoneme correspondence. This concept refers to the relationship between graphemes (the letters or letter combinations that represent sounds in writing) and phonemes (the individual sounds in spoken language). Understanding this relationship is fundamental for teaching reading and spelling, as it helps students learn how to decode words by recognizing the sounds associated with each letter or group of letters.

Grapheme-phoneme correspondence is essential for developing literacy skills because it enables students to sound out words, aiding in both reading fluency and comprehension. This foundational skill allows learners to make connections between the sounds they hear and the letters they see, ultimately leading to better reading and writing abilities.