What is the practice?
While looking at picture books with your preschooler, have her name the pictures. Repeat the name of the picture while stressing the word’s frst letter sound. Have your child repeat the frst letter with you. Alpha- bet books that show each alphabet letter by itself will help your child learn to identify written letters.
What does the practice look like?
There are many ways to help your preschooler see connections between a picture and the letter that goes with that picture. For example, a picture book with a picture of a lion can help a child who looks at the book regularly begin to associate the picture of the lion with the letter L and the Lll sound he hears when a parent reads that page to him. Reading and sharing books with your preschooler is a great time to label objects on the page and talk about beginning letter sounds.
How do you do the practice?
How do you know the practice worked?
- Is your child becoming familiar with letter sounds?
- Does your child show more interest in books?
- Is your child becoming aware of letters, letter sounds, and words?
- Follow your child’s interests when choosing books or other reading materials. If your preschooler likes horses, for example, read a book or a magazine about horses. Point to and talk about the pictures. When you point to a picture of a saddle, ask what letter/letter sound begins the word saddle. Be assuring and patient with your child.
- Take turns naming pictures in a book. Ask your child to listen closely to the frst sounds of their names. When you fnd a barn, for example, encourage your child to “stretch out” the sounds in barn and listen for the Bbb sound.
- Once your child “hears” the frst sound in a word, encourage him to think of other words that start with the same sound. Look through the book for pictures of other things whose names begin with B and say them together.
Take a look at more letters and sounds
A Favorite Book
Three-year-old Lily picks up a book for her mom to read to her and her big sister, Daisy. It is an alphabet book that Lily’s mom has read to them again and again. Lily likes it because it has big, bright, colorful pictures and she never tires of looking at it. Lily hands the book to her mom. “Do you want me to read your favorite book again, Lily?” “Yes, Momma, read it.” Mom reads the book the way she always does, stressing the rhyming words and letter sounds. This delights her daughters. When they fnish the book, Lily smiles and begs excitedly, “Read it again, Momma!”
One More Time!
Four-year-old Daniel loves to look at books and turn pages. He even likes to play with his books, stacking them on top of each other. Every night at bedtime his mom reads him a book. Today it is an alphabet book. Daniel’s mom reads a page, then points to all of the pictures on the page and names them. She points to the letter A and then encourages Daniel to name all of the things on the page that begin with that letter. Daniel points to pictures if he doesn’t know the words for them, and his mom stresses the beginning Aaa sound as she says their names. When Mom fnishes the book, she puts it down. Daniel picks it up and hands it back to her. “One more time, please!” he says.
Letters and Signs
Four-year-old Jacob is deaf. His mom and dad have been using sign language with him since he was born. It is right before lunch and Jacob is sitting at the kitchen table looking at books. Jacob’s dad is making lunch. Mom sits down beside Jacob and asks him in sign if he would like her to read him a book. Jacob bobs his right hand in the sign for yes. Jacob chooses an alpha- bet book for his mom to read to him. She points to each letter and then makes the letter sign. She also points to the pictures on each page and signs their names. Jacob chooses to sign a few of the letters with his mom.
