A Typical Approach
Parents often teach their child an alphabet song and consider the child prepared for reading. Alphabet songs are a good way to help a child learn the names of letters. These songs are more effective when you clearly say each letter of the alphabet as you fairly slowly sing the song. Point to examples of each letter as you sing so the child realizes what each letter name represents.
Teaching Letter Names
Learning the names of letters is important, but the drawback to this approach is that only vowels say their own name. That leaves twenty-one letters that do not say their own name when being read. Even the vowels do not always say their own name; saying their own name is not the most common sound of any of the vowels. Students become confused about the emphasis put on learning the names of letters because it is the letter sounds that are used in reading.
Teaching Letter Sounds
Teaching letter sounds is more effective for teaching reading. Students who learn the sounds letters or phonemes (groups of letters that make a given sound) are more equipped to study new words and phonetically decipher the text. Words in the English language are fairly predictable in reading when you know all the sounds and rules. Many of the so-called “exceptions” are just a failure to learn all the letter sounds and rules.
Merge the Systems
Children need to recognize the letters available of the alphabet. They need to be able to name each letter, but more importantly they need to know the sounds each letter makes. Learning the rules helps the letter sounds become more predictable. There are too many of the sounds and rules to list here, but language programs such as The Writing Road to Reading or shorter books such as Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons systematically cover valuable information.
Make an investment in your child and in his future. Your efforts will be rewarded many times over in the form of his academic success.
