Monday 24 January 2011

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Teaching Alphabet to Toddlers the Fun Way (Part 1)


Here’s a summary of 13 ways from a summary of my research, which I will do my best to follow:

How?

1. Read
Read to children from birth. The first step in teaching the alphabet is getting your child interested in listening to stories. At around age 2 or 3, children who are frequently read to get the idea that books contain print, which is made up of letters.

2. Sing the phonics of ABC & say nursery rhymes
Sing the ABC song. Here is a good song with phonics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlMPQ-Lr2_Y

3. Talk nonstop to your infant and toddler
Talk and say the sound of the letter. Here is a good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXsmyzjX6_E

4. Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD
For example, say "J, can you show your Teddy bear how you can set the table?" or "J, I need you to teach Teddy Bear the rules about mealtime."

5. Make Toddler-size Letter puppets
Make Alphabet come alive and be his friend by using a cardboard approx. 60x45 cm tall and cut it out. Then act out the personification of the letter. Dance with it and make the alphabet puppet speak the sound of the letter.

6. Use ABC pasta or biscuits
Make alphabet soup from alphabet pasta and before the kids consume it, use this to teach them the abc. Alternatively, you can use alphabet biscuits for the lesson. Your kid will enjoy learning abc and eating them as well !

7. Sign his name to his artwork
Then point out letter by letter. Eventually he'll get the idea that those letters, put together, stand for his name. Use alphabets as decor around the house especially at your child's play area or bedroom. Not only are they decorative but they also becomes a great tool in teaching abc for kid.

8. Alphabets blocks
You can play lots of games with these blocks such as making new words, unscrambling words, sorting the consonants and vowels. You can also set up two little basket and have the child pitch the vowels into one and the consonants into another.

9. Use alphabet decor
Use letters forming his name on the door of his room. Use letters as decor around the house especially at your child's play area or bedroom.

10. Play word games
Once he recognizes a letter, play word games — "What words start with 'B'? Ball, baby, boy ..." or use the first letter of his name as the starting point — "Your special letter is 'P,' for Peter; can you think of any other 'P' words?"

11. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

You can also teach abc by playing ABC scavenger hunt. Have the child hunt for items that starts with the desired letter.

12. Alphabet Stamp
Another interesting way to teach your child ABC is using an alphabet stamp. Your child will enjoy using this to come out with new words and sentences in this alphabet activity. It is a great way to teach and practice spelling without being too boring.

13. Alphabet puzzles

14. Alphabet fridge magnets

When?

Around 2 years old, but you can also start earlier if your child shows interest. Some 18 months old can recite whole alphabet already, because their parents expose them to the alphabets early. Most children begin recognizing some letters between the ages of 2 and 3 and can identify most letters between 4 and 5. (Your child won't be able to write letters until he's about 4, so don't focus on teaching him to write until then.) But if he's under 4 and shows no interest, it's best to let it go for a while. No evidence suggests that very early alphabet learning is related to more advanced reading skills later on.

15. Write it out BIGYou want to write the letter large. Get a large drawing pad and show your child by writing it out big. You can also use a white board.

16. Write it creatively
Use everyday teachable moments. Write it on the sand, on the side walk, in the bath tub, in clay, etc.

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Additional Information:
J is soon turning two, but I have not started J alphabet yet. But I am considering to introduce it slowly, especially now that I have designated Sundays as "Speak English Day", i.e. the day when I will speak English to him. I will start with phonics, because the experts say that it is more important to learn the sounds of alphabets than the names.

There is a lot of homework a mom has to do, and I take the perspective from these words from a contributor to Babycenter. It is not how soon J will learn to say his ABC, but enjoying the joy in the process of learning, so that it is not a kill-joy:

“If you truly spend long hours doing all of the above your child will learn. Maybe he will not know his alphabet at 18 months, but he will have spent many loving momments with his parent. Remember you are given your child, a little soul, to guide through his early years. Do your part, but love the soul for who he is.”

References:
http://www.babycenter.com/404_whats-the-best-way-to-teach-my-child-the-alphabet_6897.bc

http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/teachabc.html

http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4952237_teach-vowel-sounds-kindergartners.html

http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/42044.aspx

http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/105526.aspx

http://www.babywisemom.com/2011/02/vakt-multisensory-method-for-teaching.html

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