Literacy in the Library

TOOLS FOR INSPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME LIFELONG READERS AND LEARNERS

Teaching the ABCs

July/August 2009

Do you remember how you learned your ABCs? You are probably thinking, no, not really. It just seemed like one day, when you were between the ages of 3-5, you suddenly knew the alphabet and then the sounds of the individual letters. Little did you realize that this was the first step in becoming a successful reader.

Letter knowledge (or letter recognition) is one of the six early literacy skills (PDF) that contribute to successful reading. Some educators feel that one way to start teaching your child the alphabet is to teach them shapes. For example, you can see the letter O in a circle, or the letter A in a triangle. Through learning shapes, children will later begin to identify letters. As children learn the letters of the alphabet and the sounds of the letters, they begin to understand how to sound out words.

To find great books about the alphabet, visit our BookBuzz web site and find books that support letter knowledge. You may also want to browse the board book collection at your local library. You will find books such as:

Eric Carle's ABC by Eric Carle
Alphabet by Matthew Van Fleet
Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert
A is for Adventure by Irene Kilpatrick

You are more than likely already teaching your child the alphabet as you do activities together throughout the day. Here are some popular and easy activities:

Point out letters you see on signs when you are taking a walk, riding a bus or driving.
Show your child his/her name in print.
Use magnetic letters and other toys in your child’s toy box with letters and show them the similarities and differences.

Practice is the key to learning the alphabet. Using these ideas and activities can get you well on your way to increasing your child’s awareness of letters and words.

By Leslie Williams, Senior Librarian, Byers Branch Library, The Denver Public Library

Literacy in the Library

Teaching the ABCs

July/August 2009

Related Links