One of the first steps in becoming a successful reader is to
learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet. The alphabetic
principle teaches that spoken language is represented by
written words that are made up of varying combinations of
letters, and that these letters and combinations of them make
up all of the sounds in spoken language. Attaching sounds to
these letters and learning to write them paves the way to
successful reading and writing.

Learning to say their ABCs is a great start for any
preschooler, but it is just as important for your child to
learn the sounds of the letters. Preschoolers, who know the
sounds of the letters of the alphabet, have an easier time
learning to read.

In order to read, every child must know the sounds of the
letters as well as the shapes and order. More than that he must
be able to recall them quickly. When he sees the letter he
should be able to say the letter or vocalize its sound without
hesitation. This should happen whether he hears the letters in
order or not.

While the alphabet song can be a fun way to start learning the
ABCs it is not enough because children also need to be able to
identify each individual letter. In fact, this skill is much
more important than knowing where it falls in the alphabet as
it is the key in learning to read.

Research shows it is important for young children to be able
to:

~ Recognize and name letters
~ Recognize beginning letters in familiar words (especially
their own name)
~ Recognize both capital and lowercase letters
~ Relate letters to the specific sounds they represent

Knowledge of the alphabet is the foundation to your child's
literacy development and you shouldn't assume your child will
learn this skill in kindergarten. Waiting until kindergarten to
learn the ABCs will put your child behind many other students
and may cause added stress.

Children who can read independently "translate" alphabet shapes
accurately back into sounds. If we want our children to be able
to read independently, we needed to teach them:

~ The shapes of the alphabet letters;
~ The various sounds of each letter;
~ The sounds made by combined letters.

You can start teaching the alphabet when your child is young.
My son mastered his letters by his second birthday and I helped
him do that without flashcards and without whining! He loves
working with his "letters" and even now as he approaches his
fourth birthday requests a particular game or activity. He
doesn't know he's learning-he just thinks he's having fun with
his Mommy.

There are many ways that you can help your preschooler learn
the sounds and names of the letters of the alphabet.

You don't need expensive tools and programs and in fact many of
those can be counterproductive as they make learning work. My
greatest success was simply to work on letters in context with
the world whenever he seemed open to the opportunity. The
alphabet became simply a part of our daily life including
errands and play time.


About The Author: Deanna Mascle writes articles to help you
prepare your preschooler for school and life for her newsletter
"Preschoolers Learn More". You can find more tips to help you
teach your child the alphabet at
http://TeachYourChildTheAlphabet.info