Shayne Piasta discusses best practices for teaching alphabet knowledge. She tells us what the research suggests about teaching letter names and sounds, why teaching a letter of the week may not be the most effective approach, and an order to teach letters. The best part? She shares concrete ideas and strategies for classroom practice.

Takeaways

Teach both letter names and sounds simultaneously.
Consider the acrophonic principle, where the letter name gives clues to its sound.
Avoid teaching letters of the week and consider a faster pacing for letter instruction.
Be intentional about the order of teaching letters, considering children's names and frequency of letters in text.
Use differentiated instruction and embedded mnemonics for effective alphabet instruction.

Resources

Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy
The Science of Early Alphabet Instruction, chapter 7
Ohio State University Alphabet Learning and Instruction research and articles
Ohio State University Early Literacy and Learning Lab
Episode 164: Misconceptions About Learning to Read with Carolyn Strom

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Ep. 180: Teaching the Alphabet with Shayne Piasta