I am often asked HOW to teach letters and letter sounds to children that don’t seem to pick it up easily within the classroom setting. I have utilized this systematic method for eighteen years! Give it a try…it really works!!!
All About Letter A FREEBIE pdf
Matching Skills
Step 1: Uppercase to Uppercase
SD: “Match”
“Find the same.”
“Put with same.”
“Show me the match.”
“Find this one.”
Example: While giving the child the uppercase letter “A” and say, “Match”.
SR: The child matches the letters correctly.
Example: The child will match the uppercase letter “A” with the uppercase letter “A” on the table.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child continues to match correctly. The therapist may use letters printed or typed on index cards or 3-dimensional letters such as magnetic refrigerator letters. Only place uppercase letters on the table in this step.
Step 2: Lowercase to Lowercase
SD: “Match”
“Find the same.”
“Put with same.”
“Show me the match.”
“Find this one.”
Example: While giving the child the lowercase letter “b” say “Match”
SR: The child matches the letters correctly.
Example: The child will match the lowercase letter “b” with the lowercase letter “b” on the table.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child answers correctly. Only place lowercase letters on the table in this step.
Step 3: Uppercase to Lowercase
SD: “Match”
“Find the same.”
“Put with same.”
“Show me the match.”
“Find this one.”
Example: While giving the child the uppercase letter “C” say “Match”
SR: The child matches the uppercase letter to the lowercase letter.
Example: The child will match the uppercase letter “C” with the lowercase letter “c” on the table.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child answers correctly. Remember the lowercase letters are on the table. The child is matching the uppercase letter to the appropriate lowercase letter.
Step 4: Lowercase to Uppercase
SD: “Match”
“Find the same.”
“Put with same.”
“Show me the match.”
“Find this one.”
Example: While giving the child the lowercase letter “d” say “Match”
SR: The child matches the lowercase letter to the uppercase letter.
Example: The child will match the lowercase letter “d” with the uppercase letter “D” on the table.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child answers correctly. Remember the uppercase letters are on the table. The child is matching the lowercase letter to the appropriate uppercase letter on the table.
Receptive Skills
Step 1: Identify Uppercase
SD: “Show me the letter …”
“Find the letter…”
“Give me …”
“Where is the letter…”
“Hand me the letter…”
“Point to the letter…”
Example: “Show me the letter A”
SR: The child identifies the uppercase letter by giving or pointing to the correct letter.
Example: The child will touch the letter “A”.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child answers correctly. Only place uppercase letters on the table in this step.
Step 2: Identify Lowercase
SD: “Show me the letter …”
“Find the letter…”
“Give me …”
“Where is the letter…”
“Hand me the letter…”
“Point to the letter…”
Example: “Show me the letter n”
SR: The child identifies the lowercase letter by giving or pointing to the correct letter.
Example: The child will touch the letter “n”.
Prompts: Physical, Verbal, Pointing, Tapping
Note: Start with a field size of 3 or 4 and gradually increase to 8 or 10 as the child answers correctly. Only place lowercase letters on the table in this step.
Expressive Skills
Step 1: Label Uppercase
SD: Simply hold up the letter card or 3-dimensional letter
“What is it?”
“What letter?”
“Tell me the name of this letter.”
Example: Hold up the letter “A” and ask “What is it?”
SR: The child will verbally label the uppercase letter.
Example: “A”
Prompt: Verbal
Note: Teach the letters in random order. No not teach letter A then B then C…
Step 2: Label Lowercase
SD: Simply hold up the letter card or 3-dimensional letter
“What is it?”
“What letter?”
“Tell me the name of this letter.”
Example: Hold up the letter “a” and ask “What is it?”
SR: The child will verbally label the lowercase letter.
Example: “a”
Prompt: Verbal
Note: Teach the letters in random order. Do not teach the letter “a” then “b” then “c”…
Step 3: Rote ABC’s
SD: “Tell me the ABC’s”
“Tell me the alphabet.”
Example: “Tell me the alphabet.”
SR: The child will say the alphabet.
Example: “A,B,C,D,E,F,G….”
Prompt: Verbal, Written
Step 4: Intraverbal
SD: The therapist will say a string of letters in consecutive order.
Example: “E,F,G_”
SR: The child will fill in the next letter in the sequence.
Example: “H”
Prompt: Verbal, Written
Letter Sounds
Step 1: Receptive
SD: “Show me the letter that says ____.”
“Find the letter that says ___.”
“Touch the one that says ____.”
“Point to the one that says ____.”
Example: “Show me the letter that says SSSSS.”
SR: The child will point to the correct letter.
Prompt: Verbal, Pointing, Tapping, Physical
Note: Start with 3 or 4 letters on the table and work up to 8 or 10.
Step 2: Expressive
SD: “What letter says _____?”
“Tell me the letter that says…?”
Example: “What letter say “pa”?”
SR: The child answers verbally.
Example: “P”
Prompt: Verbal
Step 3: Reverse
SD: “What sound does ___ make?”
Example: “What sound does “S” make?”
SR: The child will verbally produce the correct letter sound.
Example: “SSSSS”
Prompt: Verbal
