How to Teach Letters of the Alphabet to Preschoolers: Why We Need to Teach Smarter - NOT Harder
06/29/21 • 13 min
One of the biggest challenges teachers face with teaching the alphabet is getting the letters to stick.
You spend weeks teaching, following your curriculum, doing everything by the book. Everything seems to be going great - the kiddos are getting it! And then...
Poof! They forget all of it! As if you’ve never even mentioned it before! Has this ever happened to you? Because it’s happened to me plenty of times.
When I was a young student teacher, I had an opportunity to shadow a kindergarten teacher following the Letter of the Week curriculum. Remember—this was a long time ago, so back then, it was considered a perfectly suitable way of teaching children the alphabet.
And after just several weeks of working there, it became clear just how ineffective this method was. The kids struggled to retain what they’ve learned, and some didn’t know any letters whatsoever!
Luckily, these days we know better!
Children do NOT learn the alphabet linearly, from A to Z. It is a global process that requires a lot more than rigid schedules, worksheets, and a funny letter P-themed costume.
So in this episode, I will share an excellent method for teaching children the alphabet, which is fun, effective, and backed by research.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Why the letters of the alphabet CAN’T be taught in 26 days (or even weeks)? (00:00)
The biggest challenge teachers face when teaching young children the alphabet (00:41)
How I learned firsthand that the Letter of the Week curriculum is highly ineffective (02:19)
Why teachers need to teach smarter and not harder? (04:42)
How do young children learn to identify letters? (06:18)
How to teach letters of the alphabet in a way that’s, fun, effective, and backed by research (08:20)
Additional Resources:
Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here:
Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers” here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/
Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here:
https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers
Get my FREE guide on how to teach letters of the alphabet to young children here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/how-to-teach-the-alphabet
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Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.
If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
--
Onward & Upward!
Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers
One of the biggest challenges teachers face with teaching the alphabet is getting the letters to stick.
You spend weeks teaching, following your curriculum, doing everything by the book. Everything seems to be going great - the kiddos are getting it! And then...
Poof! They forget all of it! As if you’ve never even mentioned it before! Has this ever happened to you? Because it’s happened to me plenty of times.
When I was a young student teacher, I had an opportunity to shadow a kindergarten teacher following the Letter of the Week curriculum. Remember—this was a long time ago, so back then, it was considered a perfectly suitable way of teaching children the alphabet.
And after just several weeks of working there, it became clear just how ineffective this method was. The kids struggled to retain what they’ve learned, and some didn’t know any letters whatsoever!
Luckily, these days we know better!
Children do NOT learn the alphabet linearly, from A to Z. It is a global process that requires a lot more than rigid schedules, worksheets, and a funny letter P-themed costume.
So in this episode, I will share an excellent method for teaching children the alphabet, which is fun, effective, and backed by research.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Why the letters of the alphabet CAN’T be taught in 26 days (or even weeks)? (00:00)
The biggest challenge teachers face when teaching young children the alphabet (00:41)
How I learned firsthand that the Letter of the Week curriculum is highly ineffective (02:19)
Why teachers need to teach smarter and not harder? (04:42)
How do young children learn to identify letters? (06:18)
How to teach letters of the alphabet in a way that’s, fun, effective, and backed by research (08:20)
Additional Resources:
Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here:
Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers” here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/
Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here:
https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers
Get my FREE guide on how to teach letters of the alphabet to young children here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/how-to-teach-the-alphabet
--
Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.
If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
--
Onward & Upward!
Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers
Previous Episode
What Makes Truly Great Teachers? Lessons From a Life In Early Childhood Education
Welcome to our first-ever episode of Elevating Early Childhood!
I’m Vanessa Levin, and I help pre-k, preschool, and kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more!
Have you ever encountered a problem in your classroom you weren’t sure how to solve? Maybe you’ve felt alone, isolated from your colleagues, not knowing who to turn to for help?
These were the biggest challenges I’ve faced when I was starting out as an early childhood teacher. I spent years fantasizing about creating a place where teachers could exchange classroom experiences, give out tips, share successful practices, and support each other in tough times.
Starting Pre-K Pages helped me turn those dreams into reality, gathering a following of more than a million early childhood professionals who share a desire to be and do better.
It warms my heart to see so many teachers feel supported by the community I’ve created!
Still, it’s been quite the journey getting there, and for this episode, I’d like to share some of the most important moments of my career with you.
I’ve had the opportunity to work and teach all across America - even internationally. And each one of those experiences has taught me a valuable lesson, making me the teacher and the person I am today.
Come! Let me tell you all about it!
Key Takeaways:
The key to becoming a more successful teacher in 2021 and beyond (00:00)
My journey from teaching English in Seoul, South Korea to creating Pre-K Pages (00:31)
How I conquered the biggest problems most teachers faced and still thrived (01:31)
How the power of community made teaching easier, more fun, and more fulfilling (03:23)
How resistance to change improved my teaching (and other parts of my life, too) (04:13)
The origin story of Pre-K Pages and why it has become the best place for teachers all over the world (05:20)
Additional Resources:
Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here:
Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers” here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/
Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here:
https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers
--
Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.
If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
--
Onward & Upward!
Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers
Next Episode
From Complainer to Changemaker: How to Become a More Confident Early Childhood Teacher
Early childhood teachers have it pretty rough. We face all sorts of indignities daily without even getting a hint of the respect we deserve as professional educators.
We’re constantly looked down upon, whether it’s coming from the parents of our students, administrators, or even our own peers!
With all that going on, it’s easy to drift into negative thinking, which can lead you down a destructive path. And if you go down that road long enough, you’re running the risk of becoming a complainer.
I want to show you a different way.
It’s not fair, and I get that. Trust me—I’ve been there myself, plenty of times before.
Still, if we genuinely want to change how people perceive early childhood education, we first have to make a mindset shift of our own.
We need to start believing in our own self-worth as educators. If we don’t - no one else will!
My goal for this episode is to help you start thinking like a changemaker. It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t be easy, but I know you CAN do it.
You can do hard things! I believe in you!
Key Takeaways:
What does it mean to be a changemaker in early childhood education? (00:00)
How to stop falling victim to negative thinking and start believing in your self-worth (02:14)
The many indignities we face as early childhood professionals and how to overcome them (03:56)
The key steps to becoming a changemaker and earning the respect you deserve (05:02)
My experience of going from complainer to changemaker (and why it felt so empowering) (05:52)
I want you to start thinking of yourself as a professional educator and a changemaker! (08:12)
Additional Resources:
Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here:
Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers” here:
https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/
Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here:
https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers
--
Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.
If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
--
Onward & Upward!
Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers
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