A combination of two or three letters pronounced together with each letter retaining its individual sound is a crucial element in early literacy. Unlike digraphs, where letters merge to form a single new sound, these letter groupings allow each constituent sound to be heard, albeit blended into a cohesive unit. Common examples include ‘bl’ in ‘blue,’ ‘str’ in ‘street,’ and ‘fr’ in ‘frog.’ Recognizing and decoding these letter combinations significantly aids in developing fluency.
The ability to identify and articulate combined consonant sounds is fundamental to successful reading acquisition. Mastery facilitates quicker word recognition, improves decoding skills, and enhances overall reading comprehension. Historically, the systematic teaching of this concept has been a cornerstone of effective phonics instruction, contributing to a more robust foundation in literacy for young learners. Its explicit instruction helps bridge the gap between individual letter sounds and multi-letter words.
