Sound Slicers Parent Guide Home Connection • Hearing & Listening Homework
Sound Slicers Parent Guide
Listening Only • 10 Mins
No Letter Writing Tonight!
Ear Training (No Spelling!)
Tonight's homework is a pure hearing exercise . Your child will NOT write any letters. They are training their ears to hear, count, and isolate spoken sounds (phonemes ).
How Your Child Responds
Parent says: Read the word clearly from the list below.
Child finger-taps: Thumb to pointer (sound 1), middle (sound 2), ring (sound 3).
Color sound dots: Color 1 dot for each sound heard!
Words for Parents to Read Aloud (8 Words)
Say the word, then stretch each sound
Word to Read How to Stretch the Sounds Sounds Heard Parent Audio Tip "lab" /l/ • /a/ • /b/ 3 sounds Say "lab", then stretch: /lll/ - /aaa/ - /b/. Child colors 3 dots. "lock" /l/ • /o/ • /k/ 3 sounds Just 3 sounds to the ear! End with a quick /k/ sound. "lob" /l/ • /o/ • /b/ 3 sounds Like tossing a ball softly: "lob". Notice middle sound is /o/. "ap" 2 Sounds! /a/ • /p/ 2 sounds Only 2 sounds! Child taps only 2 fingers and colors 2 dots. "at" 2 Sounds! /a/ • /t/ 2 sounds Only 2 sounds! Say "at the park". Child colors 2 dots. "mat" /m/ • /a/ • /t/ 3 sounds Start with humming /mmm/. 3 finger taps and 3 dots. "mad" /m/ • /a/ • /d/ 3 sounds Contrast with mat : feel how your throat vibrates on final /d/. "tap" /t/ • /a/ • /p/ 3 sounds Crisp /t/ at the start and quiet pop /p/ at the end. 3 dots.
3 Easy Steps for Tonight's Hearing Activity
1. Listen & Finger Tap Try Together
Say: "Listen to my word: cat . Let's tap our fingers: /k/ (thumb-pointer), /a/ (thumb-middle), /t/ (thumb-ring). How many sounds did you hear?"
2. Color Sound Dots Child Does
Read each word aloud from the table. Your child taps their fingers, colors or dots one circle for each sound, and circles the number (2 or 3).
3. High-Five & Sign Celebration
Give a big high-five for great listening! Check that ap and at have only 2 dots colored, and sign the bottom of their practice sheet.
Why No Writing Letters?
Reading research shows that mastering sounds by ear first makes spelling and reading much faster later. Taking away pencil writing lets your child focus 100% on their listening skills!
If They Color 3 Dots for "at" or "ap":
Say: "Let's listen super slow: /aaa/ (first sound), /t/ (second sound). Did we say anything else? Nope! That's only 2 sounds! Leave the third dot empty."
Sound Slicers Student Practice Phonics Homework • Listening & Sound Counting
Sound Slicers Student Practice
Name:
Date:
Listening Instructions (No Writing Letters!):
1. Listen as your grown-up says the word. 2. Tap your fingers for each sound. 3. Color in one circle for each sound you hear. 4. Circle how many sounds!
Example
"cat" →
1
2
3
Sounds: 3
1. Listen: "lab" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
2. Listen: "lock" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
3. Listen: "lob" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
4. Listen: "ap" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3?
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
5. Listen: "at" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3?
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
6. Listen: "mat" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
7. Listen: "mad" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
8. Listen: "tap" finger tap
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
How many sounds did you hear?
1 2 3
Listening Check: I used my ears and finger taps:
Grown-Up Signature:
Score: / 8
Sound Slicers Answer Key Homework Hearing Solutions
Sound Slicers Answer Key
Hearing Key
Auditory Grading Key: Check that your child colored the right number of sound dots (3 dots for 6 words; exactly 2 dots for ap and at ). No written letters needed!
Total: 8 Words
1. Spoken: "lab" /l/ • /a/ • /b/
/l/
Colored
/a/
Colored
/b/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
2. Spoken: "lock" /l/ • /o/ • /k/
/l/
Colored
/o/
Colored
/k/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
3. Spoken: "lob" /l/ • /o/ • /b/
/l/
Colored
/o/
Colored
/b/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
4. Spoken: "ap" 2 Sounds Only!
/a/
Colored
/p/
Colored
✕
Leave Blank
Correct Count:
1 2 3
5. Spoken: "at" 2 Sounds Only!
/a/
Colored
/t/
Colored
✕
Leave Blank
Correct Count:
1 2 3
6. Spoken: "mat" /m/ • /a/ • /t/
/m/
Colored
/a/
Colored
/t/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
7. Spoken: "mad" /m/ • /a/ • /d/
/m/
Colored
/a/
Colored
/d/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
8. Spoken: "tap" /t/ • /a/ • /p/
/t/
Colored
/a/
Colored
/p/
Colored
Correct Count:
1 2 3
Parent Ear-Training Diagnostic Guide
7–8 Correct: Super Ears!
Distinguishes 2-sound words (ap, at ) from 3-sound words effortlessly. Phonemic awareness is rock-solid!
5–6 Correct: Developing
May color 3 dots on ap or at by default. Stretch the words slowly: