Is your little one ready to begin learning to write letters and learn how to read? If you're not sure where to start, have no fear. These resources will start you on the journey of how to teach someone to read and write letters.
Perhaps you have wondered the following question, perhaps not:
As I embarked on my journey to learn how to most effectively teach children how to read, I wondered about that ABC song. Why do we spend so much time learning to name the letters instead of focusing more on their sounds?
Cognitive scientist Mark Seidenberg posed the same question in his book Language at the Speed of Sight, which takes a dive into the science of reading (and I mean science when it comes to his book--a good thing!).
Seidenberg states, "Studies in English and other languages have consistently found that prereaders' knowledge of letter names is among the strongest predictors of their subsequent [reading] progress" (Seidenberg, 108).
Wondering why? (I was!)
He explains that knowing the names of the letters allows children to categorize them (all 26 of them). This is helpful during reading to facilitate their letter recognition. He states that categorizing them by name allows children to "gather data about [letters'] visual properties, sounds, and combinatorial statistics" (Seidenberg, 109).
Say no more: bring on the ABC song and all the letter learning resources available!
The following items are products I've purposefully purchased to use with my child in developing his literacy in one form or another. Please note the following suggestions do contain affiliate links.
Keep in mind that the above information does not mean that knowing letter names is more important than knowing letter sounds. (Without knowing our alphabet's sounds--part of the foundational concept called phonemic awareness--reading would not really be able to happen.) However, knowing those letter names are still an important part of the process, too.
The resources below aren't "quick fixes," nor meant to get your child to "start reading now," but are meant to augment the learning process, and provide interest and diversity in materials. And they're only as good as what you do with your child.
The learning process is augmented when the instructor (that's you!) engages with the child and facilitates the experience. That doesn't mean there isn't room for your child to explore these resources on his or her own, too! The combination of both is a great thing.
Tracing the letter books
Tracing the letter books are fantastic resources for young children to begin letter learning. These can be given to children as young as 1 or 2 years old to begin familiarity with the letters and their shapes. My little one had the capital letter tracing book below from 2 years old. I only realized when he was 4 years old that I wish we had bought a lowercase one back then, too!
Learn lowercase letters with: Usborne's Fingertrail ABC
Learn capital letters with Trace and Learn Alphaletters
Story Books
What could be better than a children's book about a child learning to read?
This Llama Llama Loves to Read book is appropriate for about 4-5-year-olds, just when children are becoming interested in the reading process. The book builds on how letters make words, words make sentences, and sentences create stories.
Tip: A great literacy building activity is for children to count how many words are in a sentence. Start small: "I'm hungry" (2 words!) can be a fun game to play when you're in line at the grocery store, driving to a friend's house, or any time you're looking for a quick something to use as a time buffer.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a classic favorite. Purchase this one in board book edition so it's perfect for baby and lasts through the toddler years. It just may become their first favorite book! What's clever about this text is the focus on lowercase letters with the very subtle integration of uppercase letters.
Tip: From this text, we began referring to "Momma" letters and "baby letters" to differentiate case. We even talked about how some (real) babies look just like Mommy and some babies look more like Daddy, and related it to how some baby letters look like the Mommy letters and some look different. While reading, engage with your child to ask which letters are which while reading, too--don't take it for granted that they are familiar with each letter.
Toys
Manipulatives are any objects that children can hold in their hands to connect learning with a physical component.
This Melissa and Doug Wooden Alphabet Puzzle takes the cake because the child gets to view the uppercase and lowercase letters together. I realized I had neglected lowercase letters too much when my child had trouble identifying some of them at 4 years old. Activities that focus on both cases together and separate are important--especially since most print is written with lowercase letters, it benefits children to learn both cases simultaneously.
If your little one loves puzzles, they will have fun putting together new words using the Spelling Puzzle. I like the physical analogy of piecing together words -- each letter is one piece of the puzzle (to practice individual letter sounds), and all together the completed puzzle forms the coherent word (to practice word fluency).
Tip: Have children sound out each letter as they piece the puzzle together. Then they can slide their finger underneath the spelled word to blend the sounds into the word. The idea behind this puzzle activity is connecting the sounds to the letters.
A fun letter writing activity is drawing each shape in sand. This Montessori Sand Tray includes letter cards that your child can prop up on the tray to copy. Here's the win: the cards display capital letters on one side and lowercase letters on the opposite side. A sand "eraser," writing stylus, and lid are included. Recommendation: Place this sand tray inside another tray you have on hand (like an easy to clean baking tray) to contain the sand dust. Bonus: drawing in the sand tray can be a great meditative activity for calming your little ones, too!
For a differentiated way to spell without puzzles, children can fit lowercase letters into wooden boards with this Melissa and Doug See and Spell Wooden Toy. Of course, you can use the letters to form your own words, too.
If you're comfortable with having letters...absolutely everywhere...this Magnetic Letters Kit is the best option for working with first words. If you had to choose between the wooden spelling toy above and this, this one would be my pick.
Despite the mess prospect, I have no regrets on this purchase. This set includes both uppercase and lowercase letters (mostly lowercase), which is perfect for beginning to write. The whiteboard allows for you to instruct while the child finds appropriate letters, or for the child to write the letter next to the magnet. I prefer to spell with the magnet letters as opposed to using the wooden letters (above) since magnets will stay in one place much better.
The mess silver lining: even clean up becomes a reinforcement activity! My child spent time figuring out which box each letter belonged to by matching the magnet to its label. With a little help and encouragement, we can get it all cleared away.
The Logic of English
One valuable resource for me was reading Uncovering The Logic of English, which dives into the interplay between phonology and spelling. If you're going to be teaching your child to read, this book is a must-read for yourself!
Denise Eide created an entire program with The Logic of English, and she provides many resources, including textbooks. However, the following books of hers (below) can be useful tools for helping children learn the 75 phonograms of which the English language is comprised. Start with the first book, and then add the additional two once your child is ready for more complex (multi-letter) phonograms.
Term Explanation:
A phonogram (also called a grapheme) is a written symbol that represents a sound. For example, the single letter "B" creates a "buh" sound.
The multi-letter "eigh" creates either the sound of the long vowel "A" (as in the word eight) or the sound of the long vowel "I" (as in the word height).
(Want to learn more? If you're like me and internally shouting "Yes, please!" pick up Uncovering The Logic of English.)
Doodling Dragons - (Reviews single letter phonograms/graphemes)
Additional texts include Whistling Whales (Reviews many two-letter phonograms/graphemes) and Knitting Knights (Reviews more multi-letter phonograms/graphemes).
Eide also provides a soundtrack for each text too (sold separately). Preview and/or purchase them here:
Goal in mind
Will these resources alone teach your child to read? No. They are resources that will augment the reading process. We all need teaching tools to facilitate our child's reading progress. These are resources that I have used to do just that. Make it fun, make it novel--make it something to explore!
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