15 Tips For Helping Children With Learning The Alphabet Letters

I volunteer four hours a week in my son's first gradeis in the alphabet. The chart can be a learning tool to
classroom. I help out in a variety of ways but primarily Ihelp your child visualize what the alphabet looks like.
am involved in literacy activities. It is an exciting time inTip 3 - Sing the Alphabet Song and stop at that letter
a child's literacy life as this is the year that emergentfor the child to sing alone.
readers become full-fledged readers.Tip 4 - Model the correct formation of the letter and
While they will continue to spend elementary schoolhave your child trace the letter in salt, sand, gel,
increasing their site words and vocabulary, there is afingerpaint, pudding, or shaving cream .
point during this year when most children can pick up aTip 5 - Model the correct formation of the letter and
book at their reading level and read it from start tohave your child print the letter with a paintbrush,
finish with their own knowledge and decoding skills. Formarker, crayon, chalk, q-tip, pencil, magic slate, or pen.
some children, that point arrives early in the schoolTip 6 - Purchase magnetic letters to place on the
year and others reach it at various points in the year.refrigerator or cookie sheets to display the letter of the
However there are a handful of children in every firstweek.
grade classroom who will not reach that point thisTip 7 - Point out the letter on signs and in books.
year. These children still do not possess the basicTip 8 - Use playdough to roll out and make the letter or
literacy skills and techniques they need to becomea toothpick to write the letter on the playdough.
readers. They do not know their alphabet letters letTip 9 - Talk about the shapes of the letters and if the
alone the sounds that each letter represents in words.upper and lower case are the same or different. Play
This lack of knowledge holds them back both inmatching games, same or different, or alphabet bingo.
reading and in writing.Tip 10 - Take your finger and trace the letters on the
While the other children can write fluent sentencespalm of the hand or on your child's back.
using their growing vocabularies as well as phoneticTip 11 - Practice using sticky notes and label objects in
spelling based on their knowledge of the alphabeticthe house that begin with the letter.
principle, the children who do not yet know theTip 12 - Alphabet Stamps are a practical investment
alphabet fall further and further behind their peersfor having fun with the alphabet for alphabet
every day.recognition, making words, and spelling.
As the parent of a preschooler, you have to askTip 13 - Eating the alphabet can be a delicious way to
yourself. Which group do you want your child to fallreinforce letters using vegetables, pretzels, potato
within? Unless you want your child to be behind insticks, and candy to form the letters.
literacy by first grade then you must make sure yourTip 14 - Decorate cupcakes, cakes or cookies using
child has mastered the alphabet before startingfrosting tubes to print letters. Squeeze mustard,
kindergarten. Here are 15 tips to help you get startedketchup, mayonnaise, or jelly letters out of containers
teaching your child their alphabet letters.to enhance your food. If your not hungry place inside a
Tip 1 - Introduce the letter by finding a word or a nameziploc bag and practice printing letters on the outside of
that is meaningful to your child. Example: B: ballthe bag.
Tip 2 - Point to the letter on an Alphabet Chart (youTip 15 - Try Alphabits Cereal for breakfast and name
can make one easily using the "Chunky Letters"the letters.
coloring sheets) so your child can see where the letter