Learning the Alphabet

This program has a number of materials to help students learn the letters of the alphabet.

The Sound Story introduces all of the sounds of the letters of the alphabet as pictures. For example, the student learns that the sound of a growling dog is /r/. Then, when each letter is introduced, students see the related sound picture on the page with the letter. For example, when learning the letter r, the student will see the picture of the growling dog on the same page. Because the sound pictures are based on real environmental sounds, they help students learn to associate the appropriate sound with each abstract letter symbol.

Handwriting materials are available to teach the letter formation for. each letter of the alphabet. First students practice tracing large letters, then they trace and write large letters that are on lines, then they trace and write letters on regular lined paper. See the link below to go to the page with more information and downloads for the handwriting materials.
A set of picture cards can be used on a table top or in a pocket chart to help students learn to identify beginning and ending sounds in words. Students identify each picture card, and sort the cards so that they are in a row beside the correct beginning or ending sound. As soon as students can write the alphabet letters, they can start the Beginning and Ending Sounds booklet. This booklet has a variety of pages, some easy and others more difficult, for students to use to practice identifying beginning and ending sounds.

While learning the letters of the alphabet, students should continue to do the readiness activities previously described. In particular, the student should play the Robot Game and the Cube Game. These games help the student learn to put separate sounds together to form words (oral blending), and to take words apart by saying the separate sounds (segmentation). It is not necessary for student to know the letters of the alphabet to play these games. However, the games will prepare students to begin reading and spelling words after they learn the alphabet letters.

These materials are designed to be used with a teacher, parent, or tutor. Students should not be expected to work through the materials independently.