Tips to teach daughter letters of the alphabet?

Question

Ok I just asked this but had to delete it because everyone thought I was talking about the song. She knows her ABC's she's known the song since she was 2. I need to teach her what the actual letters are. If I write a K she doesn't know its a K. That's what I need to teach her is what each letter is, what it looks like. Here's the original question (sorry I didn't clarify that point):
My daughter is 4 (almost 5) & she knows a few letters like C (which starts her name) A, W, B, & a couple others. (she actually knows how to write her name & a few other words & she knows what they say, but doesn't really know what the letters actually are) I had a parent-teacher conference with her headstart teacher & she said they need to know at least 10 letters & as of the last testing they did in January she knew 3 but now she said she thinks she knows about 8. The next (& last) test is in April (3rd week I think). I need some good (& preferably fun) ways to help her learn her letters. But I want to help her learn more than just 2 more, I wanna help her learn them all (not over night, but over a course of time. Not sure how long, but at least before she starts Kindergarten this year). I've tried just showing her letters & telling her what they were, & having her repeat it back to me (I didn't think it would be very productive lol but it was worth a shot) but that hasn't worked. I also would like to teach her what sounds they make as well. Any fun ideas? Also where can I get some print outs? (preferably free lol) Thanks!

Answer 1

I created fun games for my son (recognized all letters at 18 months). One of our favorites is matching magnetic letters to abc blocks. I would pick up a letter, say it's name, and he would find it in the pile of blocks. Then I made a super big deal out it! He loved it.

I also had a small dry erase board, wrote the letter, said its name, he repeated it. Wrote a few more, did the same thing. Then repeated those few letters. I added more and more as he started consistently recognized them.

Answer 2

Play educational learning games together and have fun. Go through few letters each day and come up with a reward system.



Lots of colorful friendly pictures for each letter.



http://www.learntheletters.com

Educational learning games for preschoolers

Answer 3

What are things she likes? Eg cat, butterfly, princess, pets name etc... use these words of interest to start learning about the alphabet. Cut out or print up a picture of something she likes (with her help).



Buy magnetic letters (lowercase in particular). BE EXPLICIT by showing her and telling her the name of the letter that her word of interest starts with..."This letter is called 'p'. Princess starts with the letter p".



Get her to move her finger along the letter to feel the shape (the way you would write it). Lay out several mixed letters including more of that letter and get her to find them... remember to get her to say the name of the letter each time... "Can you find another letter p?" Find that letter in books (the word doesn't have to start with it, you just want her to recognise it at first).



Then introduce the sound by saying something like " We call this letter p. The sound of p is 'p' like in princess. Can you find the p in princess?" Remember to be explicit. Write 'princess' under the picture and circle the p. Put it up on the fridge with the letter p magnetic letters. Have it there for how ever long it takes to learn it (hopefully a few days at the most)... before starting on a new letter.



Over the next day or so show her how to write the letter. If she is having trouble, write it so she can trace over it. Show her where to start. Get out the magnetic letters and get her to feel the way it is written. Put that up on the fridge too (somewhere accessible). Put some sand in a tray and get her to write the letter in the sand tray, or give her a paint brush and get her to write it using water on the ground outside... just some ideas.



As she is learning the letter, see if she can HEAR other words that have the same sound as the letter. Write them down, find pictures or draw pictures.



Words of interest will mean more to her than words you select or words you get from alphabet books. The word eg 'princess' will work as a prompt for the letter p in the future (is that is a word of interest to her).



Maybe make some of it into her own alphabet book (just staple it together) and revisit regulary... "What is this letter called? What is the sound?" As she gets the hang of it you may give her examples of tangible items for more difficult letters eg umbrella for u. When she has more letter sounds, go on a house or garden hunt to hear letters of items. Remember to make it something that she can relate to! No point telling her g is for goat if she doesn't have much of a concept about goats.



Good luck:) Don't push her too much. Keep it fun!! I hate printouts. I would sooner get her a blank scrap book and tell her it's her writing book, give her some pencils and let her use it in her own time to do letters and writing (just for fun, any writing at all, no teaching).



A good website is www.starfall.com or http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/interactive/literacy.html#2... lots of great alphabet games and activities.

Answer 4

I normally let my daughter play some educational games.

Answer 5

If your daughter is only 4, she has plenty of time to learn letters when she is ready, ie mature enough. The world is full of exciting things for her to discover- spend as much time as you can playing and talking with her. Surround her with books and read to her, then she will be so keen to read for herself that reading will come naturally. Give her plenty of paper, big crayons and paints, and she will come to realise that the marks she makes are a communication - that is what reading is about! For goodness sake, don't make it a chore - reading should be a joy!

Answer 6

what my teacher did, was teach her a letter a week, and she would labeled everything around the classroom that started with that letter, and she would learn the letter lower and upper case,and also the sound. Also She would write down the kids names and last names that started with each letter.



For example today is the letter A



Abigail

Apple

Anderson





D

Daddy

Daniel

Dog



and stuff like that,

you can't make her learn, because she will not stay concentrated, you need to have Patience. Good luck and I hope it works.Also at wal-mart they sell on the mexican Isle abc letter soup, I would buy it and let her experiment with it(of course it wasnt cooked). Its just a way to help her, and also by telling her what letter is that on the Snickers bar, or something she liked. Its a way to encourage her.

Answer 7

Alphabet coloring books and story books worked for my kid. Also, just reading and writing over and over again. Practice makes perfect!

Answer 8

Yes try one letter a week. Write the letter on a regular sheet of paper. Place on the refrigerator tell her what the letter is & have her trace it with her finger. Your can also put the letter up in her bedroom or on the bedroom door. Even in the bathroom. Call your daughter to u let her pick a color to write the letter in & let her watch u write the letter as u say it. Have her tape the letter up & repeat it. When u are about to change the letters let her go collect the former letter bring it to u tell u what it is then u do the process again with the new letter. Try not to get stressed out. U have the whole summer, she will be fine.

Answer 9

www.notimeforflashcards.com

has letter of the week crafts....we do one letter every week and talk about the sound it makes. My 2 and 3 yr old love it.