Phonics for kids: the /a/ sound

From Smile and Learn

Phonics for kids: the /a/ sound
3 minK1stReading & Writing (ELA)
access

Summary

Focuses on the short /a/ sound, with example words and mouth cues. Part of Smile and Learn's letter-sound phonics series.

Viewer safety

All ages

Gentle animated educational content, safe to show cold; still worth a quick preview to match it to your lesson.

Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.

Teaching resources

Discussion questions

Talk about it

Letters stand for sounds. The short /a/ says 'ah,' the sound at the start of 'apple' and the middle of 'cat.'

  1. What sound does the short 'a' make?
  2. Can you hear /a/ in the word 'map'? Where — beginning, middle, or end?
  3. Name another word with the /a/ sound.

Quick work-a-long

Vocabulary: sound, short a, letter, word.

Try it: List three words with the short /a/ sound. Underline the letter a in each.