- Not sure what order to teach the letters in? Here's some ideas...
- Teach uppercase letters first - they are easier to distinguish from each other.
- Start by teaching the letters in the student's name.
- Talk to students about the differences between letters. Letters that look similar like b and d can be difficult to distinguish. Come up with ways to remind the student. One is to have students hold up both hands and make circles with their index fingers and thumbs. The left hand has made a b and the right has made a d. B comes first in the alphabet and that is the first one you would read if you were "reading" your hands left to right.
- Expose students to alternate forms of letters - use different fonts and sizes.
- Display the alphabet in the room and consider giving students desk tapes.
- Use games throughout the day that utilize letters. "If your name starts with B please line up."
- Have the students match up 2 sets of identical letters - just use 4-5 letters at a time.
- Match upper and lowercase letters.
- Write the uppercase letters on the top edge of a piece of bristol board. Write the lowercase letters on clothespins. Have students match up the letters by pinning the lowercase letter to the uppercase letter.
- Play Concentration.
- Play Go Fish.
- Play BINGO.
- Write the letters on large footprints and use them to make a path through the classroom. The students must say the letter as they walk through the classroom.
- Place magnetic letters in a bag. Ask students if they can reach in the bag and guess what letter they are holding without looking.
- Draw letters inside hopscotch squares. Have students say the letter names as they hop on them.
- Have students sit in a circle and pass letter cards around. Play music. When the music starts each student should say the name of the letter they are holding.
- Play I Spy. "I spy with my little eye a letter that comes at the beginning of David's name."
- Name
Bingo : Have each child write his or her name on a
piece of paper with a marker. The teacher then shows the alphabet flash cards
one at a time. When a letter comes up that is in the child's name, the
child crosses it out using his marker. When
all the letters are crossed out, he or she wins! I do this until all the
children have won a sticker.
- Blind
Pick: On the sheet of paper write down letters,
numbers and shapes (whatever you are learning) all over and all mixed up. Hang
the paper up and cover the eyes of the children, one by one. Get them to
put their finger on the paper wherever they want, kind of like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Then get the child to open his or her
eyes and tell you what letter, number or shape they have picked. The kids find
it very entertaining and willingly cover their own eyes!
- Sandpaper
Letters: Stencil alphabet onto sandpaper. Cut out and paste onto cue
cards (cut in half). Place cards in bag. Have child reach into bag and feel
cards. Once he or she has "picked" one, encourage them to feel the
letter and try to guess what the letter is before pulling it out. Once a guess
is made, child should pull out the card and check. **At first place only 3 or 4 letters in the
bag and have the child read and feel the letters before placing them in the bag
and playing game.**
- Alphabet Red Rover type game: Children form 2 lines facing each other with a
large area between. The area between is water and can only be crossed when a upper
case and lower case alphabet letter are the same letter. Give each of the
children in one line an alphabet card with a lower case letter (each child a
different letter). Hand an upper case alphabet card to one of the children in
the other line. The child says the letter and holds it up. If the child doesn't
know the letter have the class help say the letter. The child in the other line
with the matching lower case letter holds it up. Then both children cross over
the water (change places). When they are in the middle of the open space have
the children stand next to each other, hold up their cards, and turn around
(chanting each letter--upper A and lower a, a, a ,a). Will need adult help with
the stopping and turning. Hand an upper case letter to the next child in
line...
- Alphabet Boggle Hunt (game): You will need a game of Boggle. Have the
children take turns shaking the container to mix up the letter dice (they love
this part). Then have them look for the letter of the day. When they find that
letter let them hold that dice that has the letter on it. If the letter of the
day is not showing have them pick one dice and try to find that letter if that
die doesn't have the letter put it in the box, if it has the letter the child
get's to put it in his/her pile, then shake the boggle container up again.
Continue until all the dice are gone and then children count there pile and
whoever has the most dice wins. They love to shake the container cause it's so
noisy.
- Look
Carefully: Put a bunch of letters in
the middle of the circle so that everyone can see them. Say, "I am looking
for an 'A'. Who sees one?" Have a child whose sees the letter get it and
bring it to you. Continue until all of the letters have been picked up.
- Letter Reinforcement: Tape the
letter you are working on on the mat, and have the children look around the
class for "hidden" index cards labeling items around them which start
with that letter. The children return to the mat with their "hidden"
index cards to talk about when they are. (I spy can be used to help them along)
- Pass the
Letter: Have a complete set of alphabet letters. Give
several to each child. Have them each select one and leave the remainder in a
pile in front of them. Begin playing some music. While the music is playing,
have the children pass the letters around the circle. When the music stops,
have each child hold up his/her letter and say which letter it is. Now have
them choose another letter from their pile and begin passing them to the music
again. Continue on to give all of the children practice in recognizing letters.
- Buried Letters: Have children
bury small, plastic letters around in many places in the sand table. Then, have
the same or other children take turns finding one letter with their hands and
identifying it while it is still under the sand only by touching it! If the
identification is correct place the letter on the table. If it is incorrect,
the letter is again slipped under the sand/snow to be found once more.
- Alphabet Bodies: This is a
fun activity to do with your class. It will be a day filled with
giggles. Go out to the play ground and get your kids in groups of 2 or 3
and have them make their bodies in the shape of the letters of the alphabet.
Take a picture of each "letter" and this will become the talk of the
school. The kids and parents love
it. I suggest being on a chair while taking your picture so you can look down
and get the right angle. Good luck and have fun!
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