Activities to Teach Students Which Two Words Start With the Same Sound
![](https://dev.theedadvocate.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/teacher-greenboard-1-660x400.jpg)
As an educator, it is our job to help our students develop their phonemic awareness skills which is essential for their reading and writing development. One important aspect of phonemic awareness is recognizing and discriminating between different sounds, especially those that start with the same sound. This skill can be taught using a variety of fun games and activities that engage students and help them develop their phonemic awareness and reinforce their understanding of the relationship between sounds and words. Here are some activities to teach students which two words start with the same sound:
“I Spy” Game
The “I Spy” Game is a classic game that can help students recognize words that start with the same sound. To begin, choose a letter sound (e.g., “b”) and say aloud, “I spy with my little eye something that starts with the sound ‘b.’” Encourage students to guess words that start with the chosen sound (e.g., “ball,” “banana,” “bear,” etc.). The game can be played in teams or individually.
Rhyming Words
Rhyming words is a great activity for reinforcing phonological awareness and recognizing words that start with the same sound. Start by saying a word, such as “cat.” Then students have to come up with a word that rhymes with “cat” (e.g., “hat, rat, bat,” etc.). Once they have identified all the rhyming words, ask them to identify which words start with the same sound as “cat.”
Sort the Words
Create a set of word cards, each card with a word that starts with a different sound. Ask students to sort the cards into groups based on the sounds they start with. Once they have sorted them, ask them to identify the two words that start with the same sound.
Memory Game
Create a set of word cards, each card with a word that starts with a different sound. Turn all the cards face down and ask students to take turns flipping two cards over. If the two cards start with the same sound, the student keeps the cards. If not, they are returned face down. The student with the most pairs of matching cards at the end of the game wins.
Simon Says
This classic game is perfect for teaching students to identify words that start with the same sound. Begin by saying, “Simon says find a word that starts with the sound ‘p.’” Then, students have to come up with a word that starts with the sound ‘p.’ Anyone who fails to come up with a word is out of the game. Continue playing until there is only one student left.
Teaching students to recognize words that start with the same sound is a critical skill in developing phonemic awareness. Engage your students with fun games and activities like the ones mentioned above to make learning fun, enjoyable, and effective. Encourage students to practice these skills at home and continue reinforcing them in the classroom. With time, patience, and regular practice, students will surely master this essential aspect of phonemic awareness, leading them towards successful reading and writing development.