Begin by having students write the letters that make specific sounds. Say the sound of a letter and encourage students to write the letter. For example, if you say the /m/ sound, students should write the letter "M." Through this activity, children develop an understanding of the relationship between letters and their sounds.
Focus on digraphs and blends. Digraphs are two letters that when combined make one sound such as "sh" and "th." Blends are a combination of letters that make a distinct sound, such as "bl" and "st." While teaching students different digraphs and blends, have students write down the combination of letters that create the sounds. For instance, when teaching the "sh" digraph, have children write down the combination of letters. Say a specific digraph or blend and encourage children to write down the letters that create the sounds. Doing so will help them gain a greater understanding of the letters that produce these sounds.
Teach rimes to your students. Rimes are the first vowel sound in a word and all the consonant sounds that follow, for example, "ack," "ake" and "ight." State a rime, tell children the letters that create the rime, and have them write down the letters as you say them. For example, if you say the rime "at," have children write the letters that create the rime.
Encourage children to write whole words. Say a word and prompt children to say the word after you say it. Have them write the sounds that they hear in the word, drawing from the information they have learned in the previous steps.
Proceed to writing sentences. Say simple sentences, have students repeat the sentences, and have them write the words in the sentences. They should write the sounds that they hear in the words in the sentences.
Provide children with opportunities to write words and sentences on their own. Encourage them to use invented, or phonetic, spelling to write words.