Alphabetics
Support students with resources that develop the alphabetic
principle—the idea that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language—and set the foundation for successful reading with targeted instruction of the 26 letters. Students build proficiency as they learn to:
- Recognize letters of the alphabet
- Name letters of the alphabet
- Form letters of the alphabet
Why build students' alphabetic skills?
- Establish a foundation: Support the understanding of phonics and text meaning.
- Build understanding of relationships: Establish connections between letters and their corresponding sounds.
- Promote language discovery: Set the stage for the essence of written communication.
Knowledge of the alphabet is a critical precursor to reading words, since words are combinations of letters that represent specific sounds.
How can alphabetic resources supplement your instruction?
- Target alphabetic principle skills: Build the bridge between letter naming and letter sounds with practice.
- Teach the alphabet explicitly: Follow the lessons to teach each letter of the alphabet and its corresponding sound(s).
- Incorporate a variety of multimodal activities: Maintain engagement with listening activities, songs, picture cards, books, and practice sheets.
Multimodal routines help students make connections between letters and their sounds. Introduce letters with:
- Songs, Chants, and Poems
- Picture Cards and Alphabet Books
- Handwriting Sheets that support letter formation