Teaching children the alphabet sounds, which is also the start of teaching them phonics, is one of the most fundamental building blocks for reading, speaking and writing. However, for many toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and children with learning needs, this can feel incredibly difficult.
If you are a parent or a teacher supporting a child who is struggling with this, know that you aren’t alone.
For many children, this can be incredibly dry and cumbersome.
The good news, though, is that phonics doesn’t have to be taught using stressful drills or with lengthy lessons.
It can be bite-sized, fun, and playful and they can be taught to your children during busy days.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Why It Matters
Learning the letter sounds helps children with the following:
- Decoding writing when reading.
- Spelling words when writing.
- Pronouncing words more clearning
- Developing confidence when communicating.
The moment that children realize that letters make sounds, everything will start to click for them.
Remember, that every child learnings differently, especially those with ADHD, autism or other learning differences. That’s why it’s important to be flexible.
- Make it playful so that it’s pressure-free (see this short video for specific strategies)
#2. Shorter is Better
Young children thrive when they learn under these condition:
- Keep lessons short. Depending on the age, keep it between 1-5 minutes.
- Repeat the lessons a couple of times each day.
- Integrate it into different games whenever you can.
- Create a pressure-free or low pressure environment for learning.
Sometimes, when we think a child isn’t understanding a concept, we can be tempted to keep teaching them. However, it’s often best to let the lesson go and to keep it short. Re-visit it later and make changes accordingly. Overtime, a child will begin to understand. If the lessons are too long, many children loose their focus, get bored and shut down instead of wanting to learn.
#3. Make it Fun
Remember that whether you re teaching from home or if you’re in the classroom, keep the following in mind:
- Use music to commit the learning to memory.
- Combine it into their games.
- Add it seamlessly into mundane tasks.
- Change your volume to have children enjoy the moment.
For more information about how to teach children about alphabet sounds in a fun and bite-sized manner, see this short video. Choose one and build on it with additional strategies when your child is ready.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The reason why it’s important to help kids who struggling with learning the alphabet sounds.
- Ways to keep learning the alphabet sounds fun: why it matters, shorter is better, and make it fun.
Free Resources:
To help you along this journey, check out the goal-setting resource in my FREE Education Resource Library.
Teach your little ones how to make good choices with the following FREE Resource:
Next Steps:
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
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I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
