What is the main outcome of students completing a phonological activity matching spoken sounds to pictures?

The primary outcome of students engaging in a phonological activity that involves matching spoken sounds to pictures is the improvement of their ability to sound out and spell in print. This type of activity directly targets the foundational skills related to phonemic awareness, which is crucial for reading and writing.

When students match sounds to pictures, they are actively engaging with the sounds of language—recognizing, differentiating, and articulating the sounds associated with different letters and words. This practice enhances their phonological awareness, allowing them to connect sounds with their corresponding visual representations. Such connections are fundamental for decoding words, which is the process of sounding out words for reading, and for encoding words, which involves spelling them correctly.

By honing these skills, students not only improve their reading fluency but also establish a stronger basis for spelling proficiency as they learn to associate sounds with their written forms. This foundational work supports their overall literacy development, making option B the most accurate outcome of the phonological activity described.