The Alphabetic Principal
Where to Begin
Begin by teaching letter names, then letter shapes, and finally letter sounds.
Alphabet Songs
Children learn letter names by singing songs such as the “Alphabet Song,” and by reciting rhymes. Here are some of my favorite alphabet songs.
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How to teach Letter Shapes
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/0/13801991/published/pexels-mart-production-7334320.jpg?1709407072)
Children learn letter shapes as they play with blocks, plastic letters, and alphabetic books. You should plan many formal and informal opportunities for your child to see, play with, and compare letters. Your instruction should also include activities in which children learn to identify, name, and write both uppercase and lowercase versions of each letter.
How to teach Letter Sounds
Once your child masters letter names and shapes then you can begin teaching letter sounds. Before you begin instruction it is important to know there are no set rules on how fast or how slow to introduce letter-sound relationships. Your pace should be determined by how your child performs. Also, there is no agreed upon order in which to introduce the letter-sound relationships. It is generally agreed, however, that the earliest relationships introduced should be those that enable your child to begin reading words as soon as possible.
I have found that it is best to teach the letters and sounds that children hear and see in print the most, as well as letters that have a continuous sound. Instruction should also separate the introduction of sounds for letters that are auditorily confusing, such as /b/ and /v/ or /i/ and /e/, or visually confusing, such as b and d or p and g.
You might start by introducing two or more single consonants and one or two short vowel sounds. I began by teaching CVC words in isolation that contained continuous sounds and a short vowel (for example, mat, sat, pat, etc).
As your child progresses you can then add more single consonants and more short vowel sounds, with perhaps one long vowel sound. Followed by consonant blends and digraphs (for example, th, sh, ch). This helps your child to read common words such as this, she, and chair. Introducing single consonants and consonant blends or clusters should be introduced in separate lessons to avoid confusion.
The most important thing to remember when teaching the alphabetic principal is that the order of introduction should be logical and consistent with the rate at which children can learn. Furthermore, the sound-letter relationships chosen for early introduction should permit children to work with words as soon as possible.
I have found that it is best to teach the letters and sounds that children hear and see in print the most, as well as letters that have a continuous sound. Instruction should also separate the introduction of sounds for letters that are auditorily confusing, such as /b/ and /v/ or /i/ and /e/, or visually confusing, such as b and d or p and g.
You might start by introducing two or more single consonants and one or two short vowel sounds. I began by teaching CVC words in isolation that contained continuous sounds and a short vowel (for example, mat, sat, pat, etc).
As your child progresses you can then add more single consonants and more short vowel sounds, with perhaps one long vowel sound. Followed by consonant blends and digraphs (for example, th, sh, ch). This helps your child to read common words such as this, she, and chair. Introducing single consonants and consonant blends or clusters should be introduced in separate lessons to avoid confusion.
The most important thing to remember when teaching the alphabetic principal is that the order of introduction should be logical and consistent with the rate at which children can learn. Furthermore, the sound-letter relationships chosen for early introduction should permit children to work with words as soon as possible.