What area of early literacy is directly supported when a teacher asks students to write the letter d under the corresponding picture?

When a teacher asks students to write the letter 'd' under the corresponding picture, this activity directly supports the understanding of letter-sound correspondence. This concept is pivotal in early literacy as it helps students make connections between written letters and the sounds they represent. By writing the letter 'd' in conjunction with a picture, students are engaged in a task that reinforces the relationship between the visual representation of the letter and its phonetic value.

This practice also helps in building students’ ability to decode words in reading by associating sounds with specific letters, thus facilitating their progress in literacy. It encourages them to recognize how certain letters are used to form sounds in spoken language, which is foundational for developing reading skills. Overall, the activity is not merely about recognition but about actively engaging with the alphabet and its sounds, which is crucial for effective reading and writing development.