Alphabet learning means so much more than meets the eye

Alphabet learning means so much more than meets the eye.

There are many specific skills that contribute to that knowledge.

What does knowledge of the alphabet mean? It means:

• Being able to recite it by rote
• Recognizing each of the letters
• Being able to call each letter by same, regardless of its position in a word...instantly!
• Recognizing that each letter has an upper case and lower case form...
  that the letter name doesn't change because of it.
• Recognizing the letters in differing fonts
• Being able to copy those forms on paper with a pencil...from a model...
  and later, from memory.

It also means:

• Understanding that a page has lines, a top and a bottom, with left and right sides.
• Understanding that letters in combination with others form words.

The more your child has been exposed to print, the better.



Being exposed to print includes reading books, on a variety of topics. Signs in the child's environment such as words on cereal boxes and other expressions in print are all reading.

The effect of that exposure is the dawning that the squiggly lines carry meaning.

The more your child handles books and is read to, in the home and through visits to the library, the more receptive she is to being brought into the reading code.

"At risk" children come to the first grade classroom unable to recite the alphabet. Many of them sing the ABC song, by rote. Children described as "at risk" have difficulty relating to the alphabetization skills needed to become successful readers.

To them, "lmnop" is simply a longer name for one of the letters.

Getting those students to understand that each letter in the group has a separate name requires UNLEARNING.

When asked to recite the alphabet, some start the recitation...and then burst into song at some point along the way.

Some "at risk" children recognize their names in print. Some can identify the letters in their names. Others can't...even when they know the words are their respective names.

When asked their ages, some show me with their fingers; others tell me. More than a few tell me, "My Mom knows."

Most don't know their birthdays...

• where they live...
• their street addresses...
• their telephone numbers.

These children need a powerful intervention strategy. Without help, these children are likely to be struggling readers in third grade.

Since time is of the essence, the intervention MUST prepare them within 90 to 100 school days. WHY?

Because...

The first grade teacher is forging ahead with the reading program!

If these children can't relate to what the teacher is talking about, boredom sets in.

What do WE do when we get bored?

We attempt to relieve the boredom with amusement or by other means. Perfectly normal behaviour!

The problem is these children are missing out on valuable instruction. Because the baseline knowledge of the alphabet of these children is so limited, it will prevent them from learning to read, EASILY.

They will learn...but it may be late in second grade, even early third grade before they are READY to learn. And they are not likely to read at grade level at that late stage. By then, it may be too late for them to catch up...although that can never be a certainty. And, that becomes a perfect set-up to drop out of school around 10th grade.

Alphabetization, or knowledge of the alphabet,
is the BEST predictor of academic success.

This is a consistent finding in research studies on literacy.

Another is...

Children who are read to BEFORE they start
kindergarten are 80 percent more likely to
graduate from high school.

Research studies also tell us, year after year, that what happens in the first few years of a child's life SHAPES that child's academic and social well-being later in life.

Children MUST get to the first grade classroom door...

READY TO LEARN!

Why?

Because when they get to the first grade classroom, they are expected to use information and to think in a way that...

fits with the school.

Those children considered well-prepared to learn by the end of kindergarten...are set for a lifetime of academic success.

If not...theirs will be a slower learning curve throughout their 12 years in school.

My research over the last 25 years has concentrated on providing parents, as well as teachers, with programs that have breadth and depth...to develop in preschool and kindergarten children...skills and abilities that prepare them for learning...

by DESIGN rather than by ACCIDENT.

If skills are expected to be acquired during the kindergarten year, we MUST provide parents and teachers with activities they COULD and WOULD do...if only they KNEW.

Sidebar:
In fairness to the kindergarten teacher,
she isn't always able to find appropriate
material for the parent, teach the parent
how to use it, get her class preparation
done, and still have time for her own
personal and family life.

Awareness of that reality pretty well leaves it up to the parent to find her own way.

Isn't that why you are on the internet, right now?

Aren't you looking for useful information to guide you through the responsibility you sense and know is YOURS?

LEARNING THE ALPHABET

The first pillar in developing a solid foundation is to learn to recite the alphabet, by rote. Be patient with the unlearning of "lmnop, qrs, tuv, and wxyz." As pointed out earlier, children often think of the letter clumps in the song as one letter...with a longer name.

A good way to introduce the task of learning the alphabet is by asking your child if she wants to be called "Zougoulougoubamba?"

Your child is sure to say, "No!"

"Why not?"

It's a safe bet your child will respond by saying, "It's not my name!"

MATERIAL NEEDED

Use a deck of cards with one lower case letter printed on each card. You may have to make your own since commercial products are likely to have both UPPER CASE and lower case letters printed on each card.

Ninety-five percent...yes, 95%...of what you read is printed/written in lower case letters.

So, why spend 50 percent of your time working on upper case letters? Upper case letters are learned much more easily AFTER a child has learned the lower case form.

Many children come to kindergarten able to write their names in upper case letters. Most likely the parent believes the upper case form is easier for the child. It's true. Fifteen of the letters are formed with straight lines. Only 11 of them have curves.

It doesn't make much sense, though, when you consider the utility of each case, even in light of the more frequent use of upper case in primary print materials.

Next, tell your child that each letter has a special name, just like you, and it doesn't want to be called by any other name.

ALPHABETICAL ORDER PRESENTATION

That done, introduce the letter cards, in alphabetical order, saying the name while showing the card. Encourage the development of memory of what the letter looks like while you are doing this.

You will want to drill it in this way to imprint the full set, in such a way that the child remembers what the letter looks like and tells you its name, accurately.

It may take a few weeks of 5 repetitions, daily, BEFORE your child is able to recite the alphabet by rote.

If your child is able to recite the abcs, by rote, in a shorter time, so much the better. That's a sign of being a quick learner.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS keep the cards in alphabetical order!

You might be tempted to shuffle the deck too early. If you do,it will create...

confusion...and

guessing.

That will require UNLEARNING.

Take your cues from your child...but pepper them with common sense. Rushing your child does no good.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS keep the cards in abc order.

Because you want to set the stage for success.

ALWAYS review the alphabet, in abc order, at the beginning of every session of work with your child...

especially BEFORE asking for a rote recitation.

The benefit is that the review allows your child to fill in the lapsed information needed to perform, accurately. Make sense?

Continual review sets up the child for success. It also provides the necessary practice to REDUCE the time it takes to respond correctly. You simply cannot overlearn the alphabet.

When you are quite certain that your child will be at least 95 percent accurate, it is time to ask for rote recitation. Until then it is a paired activity where you present the cards and you both say the letter name.

REVERSE ORDER PRESENTATION

When rote recitation is 95 to 100 percent accurate, a second activity can be introduced.

Does the child know the alphabet when rote recitation has been attained? Not necessarily.

Gradually reduce the alphabetical order presentation by one...over several days. Follow that by introducing the reverse order presentation. That means, present the cards in Z to A order.

Can the child call the letters by name, accurately, in the Z to A presentation?

More than likely, the answer is "No!" If she can, so much the better!

As in abc order presentation, this activity of Z to A presentation is repeated five times daily until that magical 95 percent accuracy level has been attained.

Does the child know the alphabet at this point? Again...NOT NECESSARILY! It may be simple mnemonics. This year, my "at risk" first graders learned to recite the alphabet in reverse order. It was not until I noticed that they weren't looking at the letters that I realized they weren't bothering any longer. They could recite it from Z to A, flawlessly. There was no need.

RANDOMIZATION

When the reverse order milestone has been achieved, the time to prove letter knowledge is at hand.

Are you eager to shuffle the cards?

Why bother?

What is the point of learning the alphabet? To read and to write!

Why continue with flash cards? Why not go to the source immediately?

To have randomization in a realistic setting, go to any print source -- book, magazine, cereal box, a personal sentence you have printed, such as, "My name is Amanda."

Isn't that where your child is going to use that knowledge? Of course!

Ask your child to tell you the names of the letters of the words in a line of print. When your child has finished, read the sentence.

What will this do for your child?

It will give your child practice in holding the alphabetic system in mind while searching for the correct information.

It will stimulate thinking.

It will improve speed of recognition and accuracy in letter-naming...with gentle nudges, if need be.

It will demonstrate that communication of an idea is taking place.

If the sentence runs on to the next line, you can demonstrate the purpose of an end mark (.?!). Many children do not understand that a sentence may exceed a line.

When your child can name the letters in lines of print, easily and readily, you can maintain the skill with periodic returns to this activity.

Congratulations! You've just accomplished the most fundamental aspect of learning to read!

You've also made a significant contribution to your child's well-being in school.

RECIPE CARD

1. Show lower case letter cards in abc order 5 times daily
until 95 percent level of accuracy is predicted in being
able to recite the alphabet by rote.

2. Continue to review the letter cards in alphabetical order
before asking the child to recite the abcs by rote.

3. When 1 and 2 are accurate, reduce abc presentation from
five times to one over a period of several days. Add
alphabet presentation in reverse order, Z to A. Drill
five times, daily. Continue with at least one abc
order presentation, daily, at the start of the session.
Work at reverse order presentation until the 95 percent
level of accuracy is achieved.

4. Continue presentation of abc order and Z to A order once,
daily. Verify alphabet knowledge by practicing with
print material from any source. Work on speed and
accuracy.

5. Continue with periodic reviews of all of the above
throughout the remainder of the activities suggested.

Developing alphabet knowledge need not be more than a 5 to 10 minute drill, daily. Since you've made a commitment to spend from 20 to 30 minutes, daily, to work with your child, another pillar of the skills and ablities required can be added to fill the other 10 to 20 minutes.

What might that activity be?

Alphabet