Words & Sounds
Words are made from sounds, and sounds can be represented by letters or groups of letters.
Explore familiar words, notice spelling patterns and discover how spoken words can be broken into smaller parts.
Different Ways to Learn, Different Ways to Shine.
Learning About Words and Sounds
Sometimes a single letter represents a sound. Sometimes two or more letters work together. And sometimes the same letters can sound different in different words.
These activities let you listen, look and practise at your own pace. There are no timers or scores.
🔊 Talking Speed
Choose a comfortable listening speed. You can change it at any time.
1. Hear the Sounds
Explore the beginning sounds of familiar words.
Listen for the first sound.
2. Word Families
Discover words that share a spelling pattern and rhyme.
cat • hat • mat • sat
3. Break Words into Parts
Listen to words and discover their syllables.
How many syllables can you hear?
4. Tricky Sounds
Explore how letter groups work together in familiar words.
ship • shop • fish
🎮 Ready to Practise?
When you're ready, try our interactive literacy games. Each game gives you opportunities to practise what you've been exploring here.
Helpful Tips for Children and Adults
Learning to read and spell can take practice. Different children need different amounts and types of support.
Spoken sounds and written letters are not always a one-to-one match. A sound may be written with several letters, and a letter may represent different sounds in different words.
These activities support exploration and extra practice. They complement, rather than replace, explicit, systematic literacy teaching.
Inclusive Education NZ • An educational initiative of Children with Disability NZ