Which statement best describes the purpose of connecting spoken words to printed text in early literacy?

Which statement best describes the purpose of connecting spoken words to printed text in early literacy?

• A. Reading silently only.
• B. Memorizing stories.
• C. Linking spoken words to written text to support reading.
• D. Writing with no speaking.

Answer: (C)

Linking spoken words to printed text helps children see that the sounds they hear in speech correspond to the symbols on the page. This bridges oral language and print, teaching the alphabetic principle—that letters and letter patterns represent sounds—and how those sounds blend to form words. As kids connect spoken words with their written counterparts, they become better at decoding unfamiliar words, recognizing common patterns, and following along with text, which builds reading fluency and comprehension. It’s not about silent reading alone, which doesn’t reinforce the link between speech and print, nor about simply memorizing stories or writing without speaking, which don’t cultivate the essential print-to-speech connections that support early reading.

Linking spoken words to printed text helps children see that the sounds they hear in speech correspond to the symbols on the page. This bridges oral language and print, teaching the alphabetic principle—that letters and letter patterns represent sounds—and how those sounds blend to form words. As kids connect spoken words with their written counterparts, they become better at decoding unfamiliar words, recognizing common patterns, and following along with text, which builds reading fluency and comprehension. It’s not about silent reading alone, which doesn’t reinforce the link between speech and print, nor about simply memorizing stories or writing without speaking, which don’t cultivate the essential print-to-speech connections that support early reading.