Five ways to learn the alphabet

 

Five ways to learn the alphabet

Learning the alphabet is the basis for reading and writing. Around the age of 2, children begin to take an interest in learning the letters of the alphabet. Some children learn the letters very quickly, while others need more repetition and time to learn the letters. Today I'm going to share one of my favourite ways to teach kids the alphabet. Also Read: Drawing For Kids

Here are my five favourite ways to teach kids the alphabet.

1. Read primers

Read the ABC to your children, even babies. Repetition will help your child learn the alphabet from an early age. When my eldest was born, I was surprised at how many alphabets we were given. We enjoyed reading them all as they were different from each other. Around 18 months, I discovered that both of my children were beginning to enjoy reading alphabet books.

2. Sandpaper

Sandpaper letters are a great way to introduce children to letters. My favourites are the Didax letters for sandpaper tracing or a set of tactile letters for school supplies. This is a great pre-writing activity as children use their fingers to follow the letters on the sandpaper. I like that the cards tell the child where to start and where to go.

Sandpaper letters are part of the Montessori approach to learning to read. These letters deliver a tactile and visible way to help kids learn the alphabet. In the Montessori method, you teach your child letters for 3 semesters.

1st period - the introduction of the letter ("this" period). Show the letters to your child. Have them circle the letters with sandpaper. The best way to teach children the alphabet letters is to tell them their phonetic sounds. So say a phonetic sound every time they follow a letter.

Phase 2 - assignment ("Show me" phase). Ask your child to follow simple written instructions. Keep doing this several times with each letter to reinforce it. If it's too difficult, go back to the first period.

I remember the 3rd period ("what is it?"). Only move on to this period after learning the other two periods. Place the letter in front of the child and say, "Can you contact me and tell me what happened?" Say it. Do the same with the rest of the letters.

When you use these sandpaper letters, you teach them three things: the shape of the letters, the feel of their shape, the way they are written, and how you pronounce their sounds.

3. Alphabet Puzzles

I think learning the letters with alphabet puzzles is a great tool for learning the alphabet. This is my favourite puzzle from Melissa and Doug. Beautiful wooden puzzle with neat images. It's also a wonderful way to improve your vocabulary and speaking talents.

4. Sensory activity

Some children learn the letters very quickly, while others need more repetition and time to learn the letters. I've always said that children learn best when they have a multi-sensory experience with letters.

I like to incorporate sensory play into learning the letters of the alphabet. When children have meaningful activities scrolling repeatedly, they get their letter names.

5. Alphabet printing plates

I have quite a few printed alphabets on my blog, but a simple and fun set for preschoolers is here. You will need stitch markers or stitch labels to fill in the circles.

I like to print for a quick and easy event. I always advocate hands-on learning, but sometimes it helps to do a few tasks on paper. Dot marks or marks are great for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.