3 year old trying to read but has learnt the letters by name rather than phonetically

[Dodo76]

DS2 is 3 year and 9 months and knows all the letters and is trying to read (signs, books, cereal packets etc). He has learnt them all by their name rather than by sound (thanks to a tablet!) and gets really cross if you try and give him the sound rather than the name. Just wondering if I should keep trying to correct him/point out the sound or if there is any way to teach him to read using the name rather than the sound. DS1 is in year 1 and slightly behind with his reading so really keen to try to support DS2 with his, especially given that he is keen and wants to learn.

I'd suggest using Alphablocks and TeachYourMonsterToRead to help him learn the sounds. Sounds really are the way forward - both because it's what he'll learn at school, and because it's the most effective way to learn to read.

DSis had this with her little boy. She started approaching it like learning animal noises: That's right, that is the letter B. What sound does B make?

It helped her DS to understand the difference between the letter itself and the sound iyswim?

As Muppet said, say yes it is the letter x, and then what sound does it make.

Although I don't particularly like phonics it is the way the majority of schools teach reading and spelling.

You really need to persevere in teaching him the letter sound, rather than him continuing to use the letter name.

It'll come. I had taught my dd the letter names, but she quickly cottoned onto the sounds come Reception. Just practice what sound they make and don't worry currently what he calls the letter.

Jolly phonics have a CD with songs and sounds

Jolly phonics have a CD with songs and sounds

This. Each sound has an action to help it makes sense so relearning the correct sounds will be fun.

It will come in time. I echo what others have said re Jolly Phonics. Also CBeebies Alphablocks.
Also a game where you say "my name is A (whist tapping head) my sound is aa (whist wiggling your ear)" if you see what I mean!! So that letter names get linked to the sounds they make.

Alphablocks is fab! My DS3 has speech difficulties, but can spell lots of three letter words that he can't even say properly with this App. He's 2y11mo.

not got a 'spiky profile' at all, oh no...

(Why my DS3 can spell better than he can speak will probably remain one of life's little mysteries until he can actually talk well enough to explain!)

Ugh. I hate Jolly Phonics. Personal taste!

Phonics yes, but Jolly phonics is just too, well, jolly for me! He likes Alphablocks because he can 'earn' a beebie for spelling the words.

His preschool is now ssssssss, and I am now muh uh muh. Which is slightly irritating !

Couthy - it's fab that your DS loves spelling so much - but muh isn't phonics. It's mmm - like a particularly delicious meal.