What are graphemes?

Graphemes are the smallest units in a written language that represent a sound in speech. This definition aligns with the understanding of graphemes as printed letters, which serve as visual representations of phonemes (the basic units of sound in a language). Each grapheme can correspond to a single letter, such as 'a' or 'b', or a group of letters that represent a single phoneme, like 'ch' in 'chair.'

In the context of reading and writing, graphemes are essential for decoding written language and understanding how it corresponds to spoken language. Recognizing graphemes is foundational for literacy development, enabling learners to make connections between the visual symbols they see on the page and the sounds those symbols represent in spoken language. This understanding is critical for effective reading instruction and intervention strategies in language therapy.