Letter Names and Sounds
Guiding young learners to be able to identify letter names, shapes, and sounds is the foundational skill that builds to all reading and writing elements. Research indicates the best predictor of reading achievement is the knowledge of and the ability to recognize and name the upper- and lower- case letters of the alphabet.
Knowing Letter Names and Sounds Helps Young Learners:
make connections between upper and lower case letters
create a foundation for the development of decoding skills
understand how spoken and written language is connected
read by associating the letters in a word with its corresponding sound
understand the English language is made up of 26 letters that represent sounds
understand that letters have individual sounds that when put together form words
have a common language to discuss letters
We believe children need to be exposed to a wide range of skills that fit together to build a strong literacy foundation. We also recognize that families and teachers have the never-ending challenge of limited time. Our strategies are organized by skill, and identified as 5, 10, or 15 Minute Moments. Whatever time is available to help foster a young one’s learning will make a huge difference!
ENGAGING ACTIVITIES
Slime Letters
What kid doesn’t love SLIME? An easy mix of baby shampoo, 1 package of gelatin mix, and water will create endless learning opportunities. Place the mix in a sealable bag, and SEAL IT TIGHT. Then the fun is ready to begin.
Food Letters
Make learning fun by creating letter shapes with your food! Young learners thrive with multiple exposures to letter shapes.
Snack Letters
Have you ever found yourself with a young learner waiting for an appointment, or bus ride, or plane ride? Snacks are a great tool for learning. look closely at any snack package allowing young learners to point out the letters that they recognize. The letter hunt will engage their brains, and make time pass while waiting…
Leaf Writing
Fall Letter Writing is so much fun on leaves! Enjoy outdoor time by collecting leaves, and then have young learners practice letter writing skills. this creates a festive decoration while practicing letter names and sounds!
Cereal Letters
What young learner doesn’T enjoy playing with their food? A simple way to practice letter shapes and formations is to use cereal! Grab that stale cereal at the bottom of the box, and let your little one have fun discovering letter shapes. For younger learners, there is greater success when the adult creates the letter shape out of glue.
READ THE RESEARCH
“The single best predictor of first-year reading achievement is the child’s knowledge of and the ability to recognize and name the upper- and lower- case letters of the alphabet (Adams, 1990; Honig, 1996; Riley, 1996). Stahl (1997) found that knowledge is still the strongest predictor of reading success in fourth grade. A child with automatic, accurate recognition of letters will have an easier time learning about letter sounds and word spellings than a child who does not know the letters of the alphabet.”