Travis Snyder

9/10/12

Alphabet Knowledge

            Alphabet Knowledge is the recognition of letters, their production, and understanding of the sounds that go with them. With 52 letters, 26 upper case and 26 lower case children will need more than days to complete their full knowledge of the alphabet.

            The alphabet doesn’t need to be taught in the same order as the famous song. Children learn letters better when they are placed in groups like f, t and b, d. Recently I observed a classroom where they were working on f, t, b. All letters are not going to be taught in one week it is a slow process that takes the whole year to accomplish. Each letter has three rules that need to be repeated multiple times a day. B-BAT-BAH is what is expected for the children to learn. Flash cards help the children see and recognize an image of a letter burning it deep inside their brain. As I taught these children new letters most have never seen before I could see them looking at the picture first to try and answer my first question of what the letter is. It sounds easy to adults because it’s so automatic for us to see the letter first and repeat what we see. Kindergarteners can’t read so they find any source of acknowledgement to aid them through the process.   

Things student are excepted to know

1.      To do three letters from the alphabet every day for one week.

2.      Have flash cards with one picture beginning with that letter, one upper case, and one lower case letter.

3.      In one order respect the letter seen, the picture, and the sound it makes. Ex. B-BAT-BAH.

4.      On a whiteboard write both upper and lower case after watching teacher write it first.

5.      Completed after child can quickly repeat step 3 with all three letters (guessing end of week).