kelsey's kids 09:24 AM 08-28-2013
I am putting together My curriculum for the upcoming school year and would like to know your opinion on letter of the week. Alot of sites say this is outdated and whatnot but how do you introduce letters if not by this. One site suggested letter by them like if you theme is apples then your letter would be. How do you introduce letters?
butterfly 09:44 AM 08-28-2013
You know what I've had the best luck with? The very first thing I start with is the letter in the children's names. We do J is for Johnny. S is for Sammy. etc. Last year all my 1 and 2 year olds knew all their friends first letter of their names and the 1 year olds wouldn't always remember that J was J, but they would say Johnny when they saw J. It gets them excited to participate when we talk about letters, because they are part of the alphabet.
As they progress we add more and more. Letter of the week is great, but sometimes can go way over the little one's heads. That's why I start with names. I label their names on everything I can. They have assigned seats so they get another opportunity to learn their names. I mix their seats around and have them find their names for lunch, circle times, etc.
Angelsj 10:08 AM 08-28-2013
If you have a four year old that NEEDS to get K ready this year, I think LOTW is great. It covers a lot of areas at once.
Often, though I just use it as a jumping point. We just spend a lot of time, do crafts, etc, using the letter, number, color, shape of the week.
It makes a good outline to start, then you can get creative.
For example on A week, the color might be red, the shape a circle and number 1. We read books and emphasize those words. Eat apples, cut them into circles, and give everyone ONE at a time. Talk about which apple is red and which is not (have a green or yellow one.) Eat circle shaped sandwiches or crackers, with red strawberry circles.
Do simple apple/red/circle crafts. Make a
lapbook for each week with the theme stuff in little booklets.
And you can start with any letter you like, as long as you hit them all. If I only have one child, I start with their names. I also spell their names to them a LOT and have them on tags around the house (anything that is individualized)
melilley 10:14 AM 08-28-2013
Originally Posted by butterfly:
You know what I've had the best luck with? The very first thing I start with is the letter in the children's names. We do J is for Johnny. S is for Sammy. etc. Last year all my 1 and 2 year olds knew all their friends first letter of their names and the 1 year olds wouldn't always remember that J was J, but they would say Johnny when they saw J. It gets them excited to participate when we talk about letters, because they are part of the alphabet.
As they progress we add more and more. Letter of the week is great, but sometimes can go way over the little one's heads. That's why I start with names. I label their names on everything I can. They have assigned seats so they get another opportunity to learn their names. I mix their seats around and have them find their names for lunch, circle times, etc.
Ooooh good idea! I started with A and now we are on P, but these last two weeks I decided to give it a break and just play for the rest of the summer. I was going to start all over next week, starting with A, but I think I will do it your way now! All my kids are under 3 so your way sounds like it will get them interested!
butterfly 10:18 AM 08-28-2013
Originally Posted by melilley:
Ooooh good idea! I started with A and now we are on P, but these last two weeks I decided to give it a break and just play for the rest of the summer. I was going to start all over next week, starting with A, but I think I will do it your way now! All my kids are under 3 so your way sounds like it will get them interested!
A great way to start them recognizing their names is to associate it with a color. Like have Johnny be blue (or whatever color) and write his name on blue paper. I have an assigned color for each kid. Their cups and plates are a particular color, so to get them started I put that color on their names too.
Once I feel like they have the color mastered. I take away the color and just put their name on regular paper or everyone on the same color.
Laurel 01:39 PM 08-28-2013
I just do it naturally as I don't do a curriculum. We notice letters when we read, when we play with magnetic letters on the fridge, the blocks have letters on them and you can't beat Sesame Street. We watch it once a day.
When they seem to be interested as they get older we do matching letter games, write them on the chalkboard, make them out of playdough, play letter Bingo, etc. We do letter 'Easter Egg Hunts', write them on the sidewalk with chalk and on and on.
I also have a formal set of letters, sounds and words for pre K children. I forget what it is called but I got it from a school supply store.
It seems even if one doesn't try specifically to TEACH letters they all seem to know them before kindergarten.
Laurel
Blackcat31 01:44 PM 08-28-2013
Originally Posted by Laurel:
I just do it naturally as I don't do a curriculum. We notice letters when we read, when we play with magnetic letters on the fridge, the blocks have letters on them and you can't beat Sesame Street. We watch it once a day.
When they seem to be interested as they get older we do matching letter games, write them on the chalkboard, make them out of playdough, play letter Bingo, etc. We do letter 'Easter Egg Hunts', write them on the sidewalk with chalk and on and on.
I also have a formal set of letters, sounds and words for pre K children. I forget what it is called but I got it from a school supply store.
It seems even if one doesn't try specifically to TEACH letters they all seem to know them before kindergarten.
Laurel
Same here. I don't use an organized, boxed curriculum either. I simply add the "lessons" into our daily routine.
I have LOTS of early reader/literacy games and activities and the kids learn as they are interested.
We usually ALWAYS start with the first letter of their names too.