Letter S

Teaching the letter S

Objective: children can name S and s, say its sound (sss, as in Sun), form it correctly and spot it in words.

1. Say it: show the letter, say its sound clearly and have children copy you. Use the sound, not the name, to start.
2. Hear it: say the words sun, snake, star, socks. Children clap when they hear the sound at the start.
3. See it: point out the capital and small partner, Ss.
4. Write it: model the strokes in the air, then on paper. Start near the top right, curve round to the left, then swing across and curve back round to the bottom left. Make a snake shape.
5. Use it: read the sentence together: "The snake sat in the sun."

Curriculum links (best guesses, please check)

• UK: Letters and Sounds, Phase 2, set 1 (usually the very first letter taught). EYFS Literacy: word reading and writing.
• US: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D (name upper and lowercase letters) and RF.K.3.A (letter-sound correspondence).

Phonics order varies between schools and schemes. Match it to yours.

Helping at home with S

Your child is learning to recognise S and s, hear the sound sss, as in Sun, and write the letter. Little and often works best: 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.

Say it the way school does

Teachers use pure sounds, so try not to add "uh" on the end. Say sss, as in Sun as short and crisp as you can.

Five easy ideas

• Go on a letter hunt: spot S on cereal boxes, signs and books.
• Write S in a tray of rice, sand or shaving foam.
• Make it with play dough or draw it huge with chalk outside.
• Find things that start with S in the name: sun, snake, star, socks.
• Read "The snake sat in the sun." together and let your child point to the S.

If your child mixes up letters that look alike, that is very normal at this age. S and Z look alike. S is all curves, Z is all straight lines. Letter S is a snake that slithers.