The building blocks to written language is the alphabet, and there are so many alphabet games and toys. Activities include letter names (alphabet knowledge), letter sounds (phonemic awareness), and letter forms (writing). A child who has difficulty learning alphabet concepts may either be not developmentally ready or require more direct instruction strategies.

• The young child who is not quite ready benefits from exposure to alphabet concepts in open ended play with letters and stories.
• An older child who shows difficulty grasping concepts requires repetition and targeted instruction to aquire these skillls.

Kindergarten classrooms utilize as variety of strategies for teaching alphabet concepts and LessonPix can help support their instructional needs. Here are some ideas created by teachers and therapists from the Sharing Center at LessonPix.  

1. Alphabet on a Ring: Here is a great visual for teachers to quickly reference a letter as needed.  Cut out these cards and place on a ring. Use these cards as a reference in forming letters in writing, as cue in sounding out a word, or as a visual for letter games.

2. Alphabet Puzzle: Here is an alphabet train puzzle that shows the letter and an items that begins with each letter. As students sequence the alphabet, practice saying the letter name and letter sound. The symbols pictured align with the song Learning Letter Sounds by Jack Hartmann. 

3. I Have Who Has Alphabet Sounds: Class or Group activity. Gice 1-2 strips per student. Select one student to start reading their strip as the other students listen: "I have zebra, who has b?".(You may choose to have the students say the letter name or letter sound). The student who as a picture that starts with B answers... "I have bus, who has d?" Continue through until each strip is read and the last person goes back to the beginning: "...who has z?"

4. My Sounds Book: Here is a half-page book with letter. Cut pictures from magazines that correspond to each letter and glue in the book.   

5. Clothespin Cards: Cut out these caards for a learning center. Have students use fine motor skills to clip clothespin on the letter that matches the picture. 

6. One Page Pictures of Street Letters. Trace the letters with matchbox cars for kinesthetic learning and prewriting skills. 

7.  ASL Alphabet Bookmarks (made by Daphne Arreola)

More Alphabet Activities

Free Material (Do not have to be a Lessonpix Member)

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