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Foundations of Literacy Digital Reference Tool

Overview of Letter Knowledge and Print Concepts

Big Ideas About Letter Knowledge and Print Concepts

Letters vs. Phonemes

English has 26 letters (graphemes) but 44 sounds (phonemes)! This video helps you think about the difference between letters and phonemes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J608Dbhs6J8 

Best Practices for Letter Knowledge

For Teaching Letters:

  • ABC Song (slow down the LMNOP!)
  • Children’s Names
  • Matching Symbols and Shapes
  • Alphabet Games (matching letters; matching upper and lower case letters)
  • Printing Letters (markers, paint, play-doh, sand, finger paint, shaving cream, etc.)
  • Matching Sounds to Letters
  • Physical Activities 

ALSO:

  • Use an evidence-based scope and sequence for teaching letters
  • Avoid teaching commonly confused letters together

Best Practices for Print Concepts

For Teaching Print Concepts:

  • Book exposure (Shared Reading)
  • Big Books/Projected pages
  • Explicit teaching of print concepts
  • Activities using pointers