Final answer:
The approach to reading instruction that emphasizes teaching the translation of written symbols into sounds is known as the phonics approach. It is essential for understanding the association between letters and spoken language in alphabetic systems like English.
Step-by-step explanation:
The approach to reading instruction that emphasizes the importance of teaching the basic rules for translating written symbols into sounds is called the phonics approach. This method focuses on the relationship between letters and sounds, enabling students to decode words by sounding them out. In contrast to logographic systems that use symbols or pictures to represent words or concepts, phonics is part of an alphabetic system like English, where combinations of twenty-six letters are used to create over 600,000 recognized words. Phonics helps students understand how these letters associate with spoken language, forming an integral part of literacy education.
In the phonics approach, transliteration plays a role by helping individuals understand how to render the sounds of the language's alphabetic system into written form. Furthermore, understanding the semiotics of language is necessary because the symbols within any sign system, such as letters of the alphabet, only have meaning when they are recognized and accepted by those using them. Recognizing the sound each letter represents is crucial to developing reading proficiency, which is why phonics is an essential strategy for reading instruction in early education.