Words
Reading a new word is three things at once: hearing the sound, recognising the letter, finding the meaning. The image below keeps one track visible while working memory handles the rest.
Words
An open book with a thought bubble containing ABC and a speech bubble with ?!
About this visual support
For a new reader, a word is never just a word. The brain has to summon the sound behind the letter, hold on to the previous letters, and finally let the linked sounds become meaning. That is a heavy load on working memory, and it is where reading often stalls.
Visual support for words moves part of the load out of the head and onto the table. When the card shows both the letter and something the child already knows — sun, dog, apple — the picture becomes a hook while the sound settles. There is less guessing and more landing, which builds the confidence to try the next line.
One practical tip: work with three words at a time, not ten. Lay the cards in a row, point and stretch the sound, and let the child echo it back. Then turn one card over and see if the picture of the word stays in memory. If you want to combine reading practice with a short break and a reward in sequence, you can build the flow inside Routined.