What systematic method is used in teaching reading, linking letters to sounds?

The systematic method that links letters to sounds in teaching reading is phonics. Phonics involves teaching students the relationships between written letters (graphemes) and their corresponding sounds (phonemes), enabling them to decode unfamiliar words by sounding them out. This method is foundational in developing reading skills, as it provides learners with the tools to read new words independently.

Phonics instruction typically encompasses systematic and explicit teaching of sound-letter relationships, allowing learners to recognize patterns and apply their knowledge to reading and writing. This direct approach contrasts with strategies like phonemic awareness, which focuses on the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in speech without necessarily linking them to written letters. Other terms like phoneme isolation and phoneme substitution are specific skills that fall under the broader category of phonemic awareness but do not encompass the full systematic method of linking letters to sounds that phonics provides.