Hear the First Sound

Overview

This 20-minute small-group lesson develops phonological awareness through listening for and comparing initial sounds in familiar words. It is designed for a SET support class in a DEIS school, with accessible visuals, repetition and oral rehearsal supporting children working at Senior Infants/Second Class levels.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• listen carefully to the first sound in a spoken word;
• identify and say the initial sound in familiar words;
• compare words that begin with the same or different sounds;
• connect spoken sounds with the letters that represent them.

Success criteria

• I can listen for the first sound in a word.
• I can say the first sound clearly.
• I can match words with the same first sound.
• I can show or write the letter for a sound with help.

Curriculum links

• Phonological and phonemic awareness: recognising and comparing sounds in English words.
• Phonological and phonemic awareness: comparing sound patterns in words from different texts and contexts.
• Reading: building early sound–letter knowledge through oral language, listening and word recognition.
• Support for composing and communicating: saying and recording simple words for a clear purpose.

Lesson structure (20 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Listening hook. Teacher displays the opening sound-picture slide and says, “Listen carefully: sun, sock, fish. Which two begin with the same sound?” Students repeat the words, identify /s/ in sun and sock, and show thumbs together or apart.

2. 3–7 min · Explicit teaching. Teacher uses the sound teaching slides to model stretching the first sound in map, moon, cat and sun. Emphasise that the first sound is heard at the beginning, not the whole word; students echo each word and hold up the matching sound card or point to the displayed letter.

3. 7–12 min · Group sound sort. Teacher shows the sound sorting instructions and places two large letter headings, such as m and s, on the table. Say one word at a time—man, mat, sun, sock, moon, seal—and invite each child to place a picture or word from the initial-sound matching sheet under the correct heading. Students say the word aloud, isolate its first sound and explain, “It starts with /m/.”

4. 12–16 min · Individual practice. Teacher gives each child the initial-sound matching sheet and completes the first example aloud. Students draw a line from each simple picture or word to its beginning letter, then circle two items that begin with the same sound. Adult support is provided through oral choices, pointing and repeated modelling rather than giving the answer.

5. 16–18 min · Partner challenge. Teacher returns to the listening challenge slides and says pairs of words, including fish/fan, dog/sun, pen/pig and cat/cup. Students whisper the words to a partner, decide whether the initial sounds match, and respond with “same” or “different”; invite volunteers to state the first sound.

6. 18–20 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher shows the final review slide and asks each child to choose one familiar object in the room, say its name and identify its first sound. Students complete the oral sentence, “My word is ___; it starts with ___,” while the teacher records who identifies the sound independently, with prompting or not yet.

Resources

• the initial-sound teaching deck
• the initial-sound matching sheet
• Two large letter cards: m and s
• Small picture or word cards for man, mat, moon, sun, sock, seal
• Pencils and crayons
• Mini whiteboard and marker
• Observation checklist

Assessment

• Listen for accurate production and identification of initial sounds during echoing, sorting and the partner challenge.
• Record whether each child can identify a sound independently, after a verbal prompt, or after an adult model.
• Use the final oral sentence as an exit check; note children who confuse the sound with the letter name or attend to the whole word rather than its beginning.

Differentiation

• Support children who need it by using only two contrasting sounds, presenting one word at a time, stretching the initial sound and offering a choice of two letters.
• Allow children to point, select a card or use a gesture before expecting them to speak or write; accept approximated speech and recast the correct sound naturally.
• Provide visual mouth modelling, clear articulation and extra processing time for children with speech, language or hearing needs; seat children where they can see the teacher’s face.
• Extend confident children by asking them to generate another word beginning with /m/ or /s/, compare the final sounds, or write the beginning letter independently.