# data[].attributes.body
This event is a great time for new kinders and their families to come and meet their potential teachers. Students and parents will get to tour the classrooms and they will get a small glimpse into what their day will look like when they start kindergarten in the fall.

# data[].attributes.body
This is an example of a video from another school district that will give you an idea of what to expect when your child starts kindergarten.

# data[].attributes.body
Follow this blog for some great ideas for Kindergarten.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our kindergarten orientation is Thursday, May 2 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm

# data[].attributes.headline
As your child prepares to enter kindergarten, it is especially important that you work on letter names and particularly letter sounds with your child.  This will help give them a head start before they enter the classroom.  In addition to this, make sure you are practicing these things every day with your child at home.  

# data[].attributes.subject
As your child prepares to enter kindergarten, it is especially important that you work on letter names and particularly letter sounds with your child.  This will help give them a head start before they enter the classroom.  In addition to this, make sure you are practicing these things every day with your child at home.  

# data[].attributes.body
Jordan Feinberg - Team Leader
Lora Fricks
Debbie Miles
Lauren Gulledge

# data[].attributes.headline
Below you will see a link to a great website that you can use to help you teach letter sounds to your child.  Please look at the link and let us know if we can help in any other way.

# data[].attributes.subject
Below you will see a link to a great website that you can use to help you teach letter sounds to your child.  Please look at the link and let us know if we can help in any other way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In order to help our students learn their letters and sounds, it is important to have multiple strategies for teaching letters and sounds. We also need to understand the misconceptions and the challenges students face when having to learn and remember their letters and sounds.

I would like to address a few things before we get into the core of what students need when it comes to this concept. I understand the way we teach letters, sounds, and the alphabet may vary by state, district, school, and program. However, one thing will remain the same. Sounds are sounds. Letters are letters. The alphabet is the alphabet. These are all different things that all connected to each other. Just because a child knows his/her alphabet, does not mean he/she knows the letters and sounds. Just because a child knows a letter, doesn't necessarily mean he/she knows it's sound, and vice versa. It is important to know the difference, because students will eventually need each separate skill for different things. However you decide (or are required) to teach letters and sounds, here are some strategies for teaching them.

1. Use repetition when assigning independent and partner practice.

At some point during your day, your students should have a chance to practice their letters and sounds in a way that is routine and repetitive. This serves as a great instructional routine that does not take up much time. The reason why you want to give students the repetitive practice, is because they know what to expect, they have a short time to practice what they've learned, and most students can complete the activity without much direction. During this time, you can help your students who need the most intervention. I created these Alphabet Printables so students have a variety of activities to practice when doing independent and partner practice.

2. Have multiple references and tools available in the classroom.

I can not stress the value of having references and tools in the classroom enough. As adults, when we want information, we can access the information through books and/or a simple internet search. Students need the same resources we do when they need information. Kids will use these resources if they are taught to use them before asking you or another teacher for information. These can be posters on the wall, an informational page in their desk folder, or resource cards. I have created these Alphabet Cards for my students so they have access to this information when they need reminders for letters and sounds.

3. Incorporate 21st century learning skills while learning the alphabet.

Teaching kids skills needed in the 21st century is vital to their success in their future studies and as adults. Unfortunately, we don't always have the resources needed to teach these skills. I noticed my students didn't get enough exposure to the QWERTY keyboard. That is why I created these Alphabet Keyboard Practice Sheets. They see the letters, (both lower and uppercase) and they can connect them to where they are on the keyboard. This gives them that much more experience when they get their time on the computer.

4. Be creative and provide novelty when practicing letters and sounds

It's important to remember kids want to create. They want to do things that are out of the ordinary. So be creative with the activities you choose when introducing and practicing each letter and sound. I have always had great success with Alphabet Crowns. I have been known to be the "Best Teacher Ever" whenever I pull these out for practice. There are so many other things though that you can try with your kids. Be creative! Use Pinterest, and find something to connect this content with your little ones.

5. Build strong communication lines with parents and caregivers.

Hear me when I tell you there is nothing more important than making sure you communicate with parents. You will get so much more bang for your buck if they know what is going on and you hold them accountable. Every little bit helps. Why are you busting your rear during the school day, if the kids are going to go home and not practice?

I know what you are thinking... "But the parents of my students don't/can't help."

My answer to that is: Not all of them. Some can help. And they will.

You just have to train them and hold them accountable. One thing I have found very helpful, is to send each child home with an Alphabet Watch with the letter/sound we learned for that day. The more I can get the content right in front of their face, the less likely they will forget to practice with their child. Plus the kids are so excited about it, they will end up showing anybody that will acknowledge it!

6. Allow kids time to explore with hands-on and fine motor activities

Having students use their hands/body while they are learning is so very important to their brain development. When kids use their muscles and brains at the same time, they are less likely to forget what they learned. It's just like riding a bike. You can't forget how to do that, because you used your body and your brain to learn. It is also great to incorporate fine motor practice into the hands-on learning. I created these Alphabet Play Dough Mats so that students would have a hands-on way to practice.

7. Incorporate art into learning.

I always try to integrate art and play into academic content. That is why I created these Alphabet Q-Tip Practice Sheets. Students will get a little letter practice while using Q-Tips to paint letters, and then they can do a little art on their own by filling in the corresponding object to the right. Whenever I have an opportunity to allow my students to express their creativity while they are learning, I embrace it. I have found art activities like this also keep behavior problems to a minimum, when managed correctly.

Want more ideas?

I asked the amazing and talented teachers in the Education to the Core Facebook Group for more strategies!

8. My kiddos love Swat-a-Sound. We use the giant swatters from Dollar Tree. I spread letters out on the carpet and give 2 kiddos (each) a swatter- then say, "Find the letter that makes the sound (insert here)." They hit it with the swatter and say it's name and sound. Then two more friends go. We have played in whole and small group settings. They always ask to play!

-Jessica R.

9. We sing and dance to songs like this: Everybody dance now!A says /a/,/a/,/a/. And on and on...

-Vera from The Tutu Teacher

10. Have Fun Teaching videos from YouTube! They are great. We listen to them every morning.

We also play memory match with abc flash cards. They love it! The Orton Gillingham 3 Drill pack is also very effective!

12. We use handmotions with our alphabet linking chart, as well as letters in sand/salt. Plus, my kiddos love the alphabet rubs from Lakeshore. Kaboom! is another one our favorite games, as is alphabet dominoes. I have a whole post about alphabet activities for small groups, if you want to check it out!

13. Dictation at the student's level and breaking words that they dont know into its phonetic sounds. Soon students start to do this by themselves.

14. For letter sounds we use Jolly Phonics. It's a great program that puts a story and an action to every letter. It also has some vowel teams and digraphs. For letter names we do an alphabet challenge: 5-6 weeks where parents, students and teachers work really hard to get students to learn their letters. When they learn all 26, they get an ice cream. This kind of lets us know which kids just have motivation issues and which kids might have some learning or memory problems because they weren't able to learn their letters even with a lot of motivation and repetition.

15. We do sign language for many of the phonograms. For example, for the short u sound, we do a sign language "u" to our chest. For a long "u" we make a "u" and extend our arms up. It's been very successful for me!!

16. One of the things I do that the children love is sing the song "If All Of The Raindrops Were Lemon drops and Gumdrops." At the part where you sing: "I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide singing:" (hold up a letter) children sing the sound of the letter. I use large foam letters. Sometimes I will ask a child to stand and hold up the letter instead of me. Studies show that when children are moving, they retain information more easily, so I include actions to go with the song.

17. I teach Kindergarten. As a part of the student engagement, I do a matching game with my students. Each student is given a letter card (uppercase or lowercase ). Students will use Kagan strategy Stand up, Hand up, Pair up and find their match. Students will begin when music plays and stop once music stops. I will call on a pair to share out their uppercase and lowercase letter, its sound, and a word that begins with the letter sound. Sometimes I will allow students to call on others or I'll use popsicle sticks to call on others. In preparation I change cards weekly and I consider how many students I have present. Also, I participate if someone doesn't have a partner.

I hope you enjoyed reading these strategies for teaching letters and sounds! Hopefully, you can apply these strategies in your classroom if you are not already. If you have an idea or strategy, be sure to leave a comment! I would love to hear form you. If you liked this article, be sure to pin it for your teacher colleagues! If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Teachers Pay Teachers to stay posted with the latest freebies, tips, and ideas.

Comments

comments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
17 Strategies for Teaching Letters and Sounds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In order to help our students learn their letters and sounds, it is important to have multiple strategies for teaching letters and sounds. We also need to understand the misconceptions and the challenges students face when having to learn and remember their letters and sounds.

# data[].attributes.headline
Team Plan for Kindergarten Orientation. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Team Plan for Kindergarten Orientation. 

# data[].attributes.body
Team members, please see PDF below for instructions for a successful kindergarten orientation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2019 Plans for Kindergarten Orientation (1)

# data[].attributes.body
Welcome to Welcome.