Most of us can't remember a time that we did not know our letters, so why worry about how we teach it to our students? Because the ABC's are the building blocks of language! Our students must be able to recognize each letter, both in and out of order, and the sounds associated with each to become literate. Once they've built this foundation they are well on their way towards reading and literacy.
Although it is recommended that children are exposed to their letters before entering school, most of my students come in knowing no letters or sounds. For most of my students, it is because they have just come from another country and do not speak English, or their guardians do not speak English and therefore cannot help them by practicing at home. For others, preschool was never an option because of financial reasons. The alphabet tubs, photo library, rockets, and mystery box materials would make a huge difference in my student's learning because they are hands-on materials that can be used in both whole and small group!
Children need to explore by seeing and doing. In the classroom, students learn in multiple ways: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Kindergartners learn in all of these ways to help make concepts concrete. The best way to learn is to make it fun, and if I am joining in these projects with them, but also giving them the independence to explore the materials themselves, it will help foster a love for learning, which they will hopefully bring with them outside of the classroom as well.
About my class
Most of us can't remember a time that we did not know our letters, so why worry about how we teach it to our students? Because the ABC's are the building blocks of language! Our students must be able to recognize each letter, both in and out of order, and the sounds associated with each to become literate. Once they've built this foundation they are well on their way towards reading and literacy.
Although it is recommended that children are exposed to their letters before entering school, most of my students come in knowing no letters or sounds. For most of my students, it is because they have just come from another country and do not speak English, or their guardians do not speak English and therefore cannot help them by practicing at home. For others, preschool was never an option because of financial reasons. The alphabet tubs, photo library, rockets, and mystery box materials would make a huge difference in my student's learning because they are hands-on materials that can be used in both whole and small group!
Children need to explore by seeing and doing. In the classroom, students learn in multiple ways: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Kindergartners learn in all of these ways to help make concepts concrete. The best way to learn is to make it fun, and if I am joining in these projects with them, but also giving them the independence to explore the materials themselves, it will help foster a love for learning, which they will hopefully bring with them outside of the classroom as well.
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