Letter Knowledge
Getting Ready
to Read
Learning
About Letter
Shapes
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Letter Knowledge About
• Each letter is
different
• Same letter can be
written differently
• Letters have names
• Letters have
sounds
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Research Shows
• Letter knowledge
predicts success
learning to read
• Recognize letters
by sight before
translating to
sound
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Reading is Decoding
• Connections
between printed
word & sound
• Reading, writing
correlated
• Writing is
connections
between sound &
printed word
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Important Skill
• Recognize and
understand
letters
• Related to
Phonological
Awareness
• Yet distinctly
different
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Typical Sequence
• Most children
learn:
1. Letter name
2. Letter shapes
3. Finally, letter
sounds
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Children’s Names
• Usually learn letters
in name first
• Favorite letters!
• Write name where
can see it often
• Have children write
name in own way
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Play With Letters
• Sing the alphabet song
• Play with:
– Rhymes
– Blocks
– Magnetic letters
• Read alphabet books together
• Point out, name letters when reading
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Play “I Spy”
• “I Spy with my little eye,
something that begins
with A (B, C, D…)
• Older children can find
letters in order, A to Z
• When in car, look for
license plates, signs
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Play With Letter Shapes
• Make letters with clay,
wet spaghetti noodles
• Form shapes with
bodies, other objects
• Bake with letter shapes
• Talk about shapes of
cookies, treats
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Have Fun
• Write words that interest child (i.e.
dinosaur, truck, or mom)
• Use bright crayons, magnetic letters
• Children learn letter-sound
relationships, different rates
• Avoid “drilling”
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com

Early Literacy Skills
• Recognize shapes,
letters, sounds
• Keep it fun
• Letter knowledge
important part of
reading
• Help children get
ready to read
2007, William P. Breitsprecher & BreitLinks. All rights reserved. www.breitlinks.com