Playing with Letters from Carolyn Kisloski and Dr. Jean     
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Many teachers question how they should introduce letters. Should you do capital letters first? Is there a specific order you should follow?

There is NO definitive research to support one particular strategy. Children come to you with many varied experiences and skills and one size will not fit all. However, there are two principles that we think are important.

First, make it authentic! Teach letters in context and connect with children’s names, units of study, nursery rhymes, and other interests. For example, a trip to the pumpkin patch would be the perfect time to talk about Pp. Talk about the letter Jj when you say Jack and Jill. If your football team is the Falcons discuss the letter Ff.

Second, make it playful and challenging. Use hands-on activities, songs, movements, and games to stimulate multiple senses. Blocks, play dough, puzzles, and magnetic letters are much more REAL than a worksheet or computer game.

Finally, remember that children take it in and take it in and take it in – and then something comes out! They don’t all learn in the same way at the same time, so you have to provide a variety of opportunities to learn. The key is to keep it fun and make them feel successful.

What this eBook will do . . .

Our book is packed with tried and true activities that Carolyn and I have used over our 60+ years in the classroom.

There were 26 letters hundreds of years ago, and those same letters still make all the words that we read today. Those letters open the door to a lifetime of reading and learning.

We are so excited to have you us join us as we share our ideas to make learning letters playful and meaningful. Your children are sure to fall in love with letters and sounds through the songs, crafts, games, and activities we have to share.

This book has over 100 activities and ideas for nurturing literacy and a love of reading. Pick, choose, adapt, and use the ones that best meet the needs of your students and your goals.

Let’s see how much FUN this can be!

 

       

These are the categories you'll find:

Touch and Tell (Multisensory Learning)

Teaching Transitions

ABC Tools and "Toys"

Let's Play and Learn Games

Letter Land (Classroom Print and Alphabet Books)

Ready to Write

Letter Centers

Singing Sounds

Home/School Connections

Alphabet Poetry Book

HOW IS THIS BOOK DIFFERENT FROM WORKSHEETS AND DEVICES?

Multisensory- The more senses you activate, the more likely the message will get to the brain! Children need to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch letters! Hands-on activities are definitely the way to go.

Active Learning– Take advantage of the mind/body connection by having children sing and move. The brain loves to move and songs are the most “convenient” way to learn anything!

Wholeness– Children remember things as a whole. Expose them to all the letters through songs and books. Then focus more intensely on specific letters using their names, themes, and topics of interest.

Purposeful Practice for Automaticity– Repetition is important for skill mastery. Children may not want to do a worksheet twice, but they will want to sing and play games over and over again.

Playful and Challenging– The brain likes anything that is novel and challenging. Remember, these are little children, and they just want to play and have fun!

Everyone’s Brain Is Unique- No two children learn in the same way or at the same time. Therefore, we must be sensitive to children’s individual styles, and we must provide them with a wide variety of opportunities to learn, play, and interact with letters and language.