What are Phonemies?

Research shows that visual supports can help children begin learning relationships between letters and speech sounds. For example, Linnea Ehri describes how picture-embedded mnemonic characters, such as those used in Letterland, can support early learning of grapheme–phoneme correspondences. Ehri explains that these characters help learners remember sounds because the shape of the letter reminds them of an object whose name begins with that sound (Ehri et al., 1984; Ehri, 2022).
 

Experimental research demonstrated that children often learn letter–sound correspondences more quickly when letters are presented as embedded picture mnemonics compared with rehearsal alone (Ehri et al., 1984). These findings contributed to the widespread adoption of mnemonic-based alphabet instruction and were later referenced by the National Reading Panel as evidence that mnemonic supports can help children learn letter–sound relationships (National Reading Panel, 2000).
 

However, Ehri’s wider body of research emphasises that mnemonic characters are intended to be transitional supports. She explains that, with practice, the visual character is phased out as learners form direct connections between graphemes and phonemes. Ehri identifies this direct grapheme–phoneme bonding process, known as orthographic mapping, as the mechanism that enables words to be stored accurately in memory and recognised automatically during reading (Ehri, 2005; Ehri, 2014; Ehri, 2022).
 

Phonemies were developed from this same understanding of how written language connects to speech, but they serve a different instructional function. Unlike picture-embedded mnemonic characters, Phonemies represent phonemes directly and are designed to remain relevant beyond early alphabet learning. Rather than associating a grapheme with a single sound through a story or character, Phonemies provide a consistent visual representation of speech sounds that supports learners in analysing and mapping phonemes across words.
 

This distinction is particularly important in English orthography. Research shows that graphemes frequently represent multiple phonemes depending on the word and linguistic context (Venezky, 1999; Treiman, 1993). Instructional approaches that associate a grapheme with a single sound value may support early recall but may not fully support flexible grapheme–phoneme mapping across unfamiliar words. Orthographic mapping theory suggests that long-term reading and spelling development depends on learners forming accurate and flexible connections between phonemes and graphemes within individual words (Ehri, 2014; Share, 2008).
 

Phonemies are designed to support this mapping process by helping learners visualise, segment and manipulate phonemes while linking them to grapheme choices during reading and spelling. Rather than functioning as temporary mnemonic prompts, they are intended to support phoneme awareness and speech-to-print mapping throughout literacy development.

Reference List 

Ehri, L. C. (2005). Development of sight word reading: Phases and findings. In M. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 135-154).

Ehri, L. C. (2014). Orthographic mapping in the acquisition of sight word reading, spelling memory, and vocabulary learning. Scientific Studies of Reading, 18(1), 5-21.

Ehri, L. C. (2022). What teachers need to know and do to teach letter-sounds, phonemic awareness, word reading, and phonics. The Reading Teacher, 76(1), 53-61.

Ehri, L. C., Deffner, N. D., & Wilce, L. S. (1984). Pictorial mnemonics for phonics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 880-893.

National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction.

Treiman, R. (1993). Beginning to spell: A study of first-grade children. Oxford University Press.

Venezky, R. (1999). The American way of spelling. Guilford Press.

Share, D. L. (2008). Orthographic learning, phonology, and the self-teaching hypothesis. In R. Kail (Ed.), Advances in child development and behaviour (pp. 31-82).