Letters, Sounds, Oh My...

You may have heard your child coming home singing various songs and chants we do in class. These songs and chants help your child associate letters and their sounds in a catchy way. You can help us at home by asking your child what the sounds of various letters. In addition, you can say a word and ask your child what sound do you hear at the beginning of the word. You can do this in the car, while washing dishes, shopping, etc. because you do not need anything. In addition, letter recognition is important because children need to recognize letters when it comes to writing. Take 5 minutes and show your child a set of letters and ask them to tell you the letter. The best way to do this is to go through the alphabet once and make two piles (ones they know and ones they don't know). Once you go through the pile, take 2 letters from the "don't know" pile and add it to the "know pile" and only go through this pile. Once your child knows all the letters in this pile, choose 2 more from the "don't pile" and add it to the "know pile." Once your child can identify all the letters in the newly formed "know pile" you add 2 more from the "don't know" pile. This process continues until all the letters are known. This process also allows the child not to be frustrated because you are only working on letters they know and 2 unknown letters. Finally, thank you for all of your support at home...the success of your child is a partnership between school and home!