How to Teach a Toddler Letter Recognition
Print or buy an alphabet chart., Help toddlers understand how letters are written., Use a description to help toddlers understand the lines on the paper., Describe how to write each letter using easy-to-remember descriptions., Expose toddlers to...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Print or buy an alphabet chart.
The best way for a toddler to start to recognize the various features of different letters is to practice writing those letters.
And easy way to practice writing is to use an alphabet chart on a piece of paper.
You can either print them off the internet, or buy a book with these charts.
These charts will have all the lower and upper case letters and include arrows to show how each letter is to be written.You will likely want to practice writing the alphabet multiple times, so printing off several copies of the alphabet chart will be very helpful.
It is also important that the alphabets used have properly proportioned letters.
For example, toddlers need to understand the size difference between an upper case “A" and a lower case “a." -
Step 2: Help toddlers understand how letters are written.
Letters are normally written starting at the top, then going down.
And starting at the left and then going to the right.
It is important that toddlers understand this when practicing their letters.
While it may be tempting to use plain paper, using paper that either already has the letters drawn on it, or using paper with the proper lines, will be easier for toddlers to understand at first.You may want to start with a pencil as the writing instrument, but don’t limit toddlers to only one instrument.
While toddlers are learning, use pens, pencils, markers, or even finger paint.
When teaching toddlers to write letters, stick with only one type of font.
Avoid mixing different types of fonts (which may be found on different alphabet charts) so as not to confuse them., You will probably remember this type of paper from your own school days, but it consists usually of three horizontal lines, in-between which each letter can be written.
The top and bottom lines are solid, while the middle line is dotted.
Some letters, like ‘g,’ ‘j,’ ‘p,’ ‘q,’ and ‘y,’ will have a part of the letter that goes beneath the bottom, solid line.In order to help verbally guide toddlers when writing on this type of paper, it is helpful to name each line and each section so they can follow along.
One suggestion is to call the top line the “roof,” the middle dotted line the “fence,” and the bottom line the “sidewalk.” The are under the “sidewalk” might be called the “ditch." Another suggestion is to use “ceiling,” “window,” “floor,” and “basement."
Ideally, toddlers who are leaning how to write their letters will also remember your verbal descriptions.
When they are working on their own, they may even say these verbal descriptions out loud to help guide them.
There are no set descriptions to use for all the letters, however, the language used needs to be vivid and concrete.For example, when verbally describing how to write the letter ‘b,’ you might use the following language: “To make a lower-case b, start at the roof, drop straight down to the sidewalk, and then bounce back up to the fence and around.” Eventually this could be shortened to “drop down, bounce up, and back." For reference, the URL http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/letters.html has detailed descriptions for each upper and lower case letter of the alphabet. , Nursery rhymes, songs, and poems are a great learning experience for toddlers as they help teach how letters and words sound.
The more you expose your toddler to these items, the more your toddler will recognize rhyming words and sounds without help.Around the time a child is three years old, sounds and syllables will become recognizable.
Also around the ages of three or four years old, children will begin to recognize when two words begin with the same sound.
This is a great time to teach your toddler the Alphabet Song.
And while it may become annoying, try to sing the Alphabet Song every day.
While teaching your toddler about sounds and rhymes, you can also help teach about syllables by clapping each syllable out that is contained within your toddler's name.
For example, if your toddler is named “Alexander,” you can teach him to clap four times for each syllable in his name — “Al + ex + an + der." -
Step 3: Use a description to help toddlers understand the lines on the paper.
-
Step 4: Describe how to write each letter using easy-to-remember descriptions.
-
Step 5: Expose toddlers to nursery rhymes
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Step 6: and poems.
Detailed Guide
The best way for a toddler to start to recognize the various features of different letters is to practice writing those letters.
And easy way to practice writing is to use an alphabet chart on a piece of paper.
You can either print them off the internet, or buy a book with these charts.
These charts will have all the lower and upper case letters and include arrows to show how each letter is to be written.You will likely want to practice writing the alphabet multiple times, so printing off several copies of the alphabet chart will be very helpful.
It is also important that the alphabets used have properly proportioned letters.
For example, toddlers need to understand the size difference between an upper case “A" and a lower case “a."
Letters are normally written starting at the top, then going down.
And starting at the left and then going to the right.
It is important that toddlers understand this when practicing their letters.
While it may be tempting to use plain paper, using paper that either already has the letters drawn on it, or using paper with the proper lines, will be easier for toddlers to understand at first.You may want to start with a pencil as the writing instrument, but don’t limit toddlers to only one instrument.
While toddlers are learning, use pens, pencils, markers, or even finger paint.
When teaching toddlers to write letters, stick with only one type of font.
Avoid mixing different types of fonts (which may be found on different alphabet charts) so as not to confuse them., You will probably remember this type of paper from your own school days, but it consists usually of three horizontal lines, in-between which each letter can be written.
The top and bottom lines are solid, while the middle line is dotted.
Some letters, like ‘g,’ ‘j,’ ‘p,’ ‘q,’ and ‘y,’ will have a part of the letter that goes beneath the bottom, solid line.In order to help verbally guide toddlers when writing on this type of paper, it is helpful to name each line and each section so they can follow along.
One suggestion is to call the top line the “roof,” the middle dotted line the “fence,” and the bottom line the “sidewalk.” The are under the “sidewalk” might be called the “ditch." Another suggestion is to use “ceiling,” “window,” “floor,” and “basement."
Ideally, toddlers who are leaning how to write their letters will also remember your verbal descriptions.
When they are working on their own, they may even say these verbal descriptions out loud to help guide them.
There are no set descriptions to use for all the letters, however, the language used needs to be vivid and concrete.For example, when verbally describing how to write the letter ‘b,’ you might use the following language: “To make a lower-case b, start at the roof, drop straight down to the sidewalk, and then bounce back up to the fence and around.” Eventually this could be shortened to “drop down, bounce up, and back." For reference, the URL http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/letters.html has detailed descriptions for each upper and lower case letter of the alphabet. , Nursery rhymes, songs, and poems are a great learning experience for toddlers as they help teach how letters and words sound.
The more you expose your toddler to these items, the more your toddler will recognize rhyming words and sounds without help.Around the time a child is three years old, sounds and syllables will become recognizable.
Also around the ages of three or four years old, children will begin to recognize when two words begin with the same sound.
This is a great time to teach your toddler the Alphabet Song.
And while it may become annoying, try to sing the Alphabet Song every day.
While teaching your toddler about sounds and rhymes, you can also help teach about syllables by clapping each syllable out that is contained within your toddler's name.
For example, if your toddler is named “Alexander,” you can teach him to clap four times for each syllable in his name — “Al + ex + an + der."
About the Author
Brandon Miller
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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