When Speech Sounds Difficulties Affect Phonics

Many teacher and parents notice children who seem to understand phonics but still struggle with reading or spelling certain words.

In some cases, the difficulty is not with phonics itself, instead it may be related to speech sound development.

Understanding the connection between speech sounds and phonics can help adults to recognise what children might need in order to make progress.

How Phonics Works

Phonics teaches children to connect speech sounds with letters.

For example:

/dʒ/ → j

/æ/ → a

/m/ → m

Children learn to blend these sounds together to read the word jam.

For phonics to work smoothly, children need to be able to hear and produce speech sounds clearly and correctly.

When Speech Sounds Affect Spelling

Sometimes children pronounce words differently while their speech sound system is still developing.

For example a child might say

"dam" instead of jam

"byoo" instead of blue

"pug" instead of plug

When the child writes the word, they may spell it exactly as they say it.

So blue becomes BYOO, because that is the sound pattern they hear when they say the word.

From the child's perspective, they are actually applying phonics correctly, they are simply writing what they hear.

What Teachers and Parents Might Notice

Adults supporting early reading may notice patterns such as:

• spelling that reflects the child’s speech patterns

• difficulty hearing the difference between similar sounds

• frustration during phonics activities

• reluctance to read aloud

These observations can sometimes indicate that speech sound development is influencing phonics progress.

Simple Ways Adults Can Help

There are many simple ways adults can support children while their speech sound system is developing. For example:

• modelling words clearly during conversation

• emphasising key sounds when reading or speaking

• giving children lots of opportunities to listen to and play with sounds in words

These strategies help children hear accurate sound patterns many times in natural situations.

Why Listening Carefully Matters

Children's speech often gives important clues about how they are hearing and organising sounds.

By listening carefully to speech patterns, teachers, early years practitioners and parents can gain useful insights into what might be affecting a child’s reading and spelling.

Learning More About Speech Sounds and Phonics

If you work with children or support early reading at home, understanding the relationship between speech sounds and phonics can be extremely helpful.

In my short training Speech Sounds & Phonics: What to Listen For and How to Help, I explain:

• what to listen for in children’s speech

• when speech sound patterns may affect phonics

• practical ways adults can support children

You can learn more about the training here:

Start the Training Here