At first teachers can use the A5 ALPHABETIC CODE FRIEZE POSTERS for Flash Cards to teach the letter/s-sound correspondences.
Add a new card to the 'pack' as each letter/s-sound correspondence is introduced.
As the learner becomes familiar with the letter shape or shapes (graphemes) and recalls the corresponding sounds (phonemes), substitute the Flash Cards described above which do not include the picture mnemonics.
This is a tangible goal to be achieved when using the Flash Card system of reaching 'automatic recall' of the letter/s-sound correspondences (Alphabetic Code knowledge).
For the 'single letter' graphemes (in other words, the letters of the Alphabet), the learner also needs to learn that the capital letters are the SAME CODE AS the lower case letters. Therefore there are SUBSTITUTE FLASH CARDS which include both capital and lower case letters for the single letters.
These can be used once the learner is thoroughly familiar with recognising lower case letters and the alphabetic code they represent.
The act of 'substituting' the plainer cards encourage the learners to appreciate they are progressing to the next steps of learning.
It also keeps teachers focused on good use of mnemonic pictures - they are just a means to an end!
Having said that, picture mnemonics are also useful for developing 'phonemic awareness' (awareness of sounds in all positions of spoken words) and for teaching vocabulary - especially where English is an additional language.
These large A5 Flash Cards are especially good in settings where groups or whole classes of children/beginners are being taught.
