Letter Names vs Letter Sounds…Which matters more?

Parents often wonder whether to teach their child the alphabet using letter names (A, B, C) or letter sounds (/a/, /b/, /k/). It is a common source of confusion during early reading practice.

Letter sounds are the functional building blocks for decoding. To read a word like “cat,” a child must blend the actual sounds together, not the names of the letters.

However, letter names are still crucial. They provide a universal label for spelling and communication. Because a letter’s name stays constant while its sounds can change—like the hard and soft sounds of ‘C’—knowing the names gives your child a reliable anchor.

You don’t have to choose. Practice both at home. Simply saying, “This is the letter M, and it represents the /m/ sound,” builds a strong foundation.