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Ways to Teach Letter Recognition

  1. Whiteboard Writing.  Using a dry erase board is not only fun but it covers a multitude of sins.  Use several different colored dry erase markers to keep it interesting.  As the child progresses you may want to challenge her to write the vowels in red or a blend in green, etc.
  2. Memory Game.  Purchase or make flashcards with capital letters and lower case letters.  Make two sets for each.  You can play by matching capital letters to capital letters and lower case letters to lower case letters.  As the child progresses, match capital letters to lower case letters.  I caution against matching letters to images that begin with letter sounds.  For dyslexics, the image will not represent the sound but the letter.  So, when a dyslexic child sees a “D”, she see “dog” and not associate it with the letter sound. The letter shapes need to be their own images.    
  3. ABC Hopscotch.  Make a hopscotch board and replace the numbers with letters.  Then call out a letter sound and have your child jump to the letter.
  4. Letter Touch.  Place plastic letters in a pouch or bag that is not transparent.  Have your child find a letter by feeling for the shape.
  5. Foam ABC Letter Puzzle.  Place the foam letters from the puzzle in a tray and cover with rice.  Have the child dig for the letters and once found place that letter in the puzzle.  Make sure your child calls out the name of each letter.
  6. Tactile Letters.  Create letters out of cardboard or heavy card stock.  Glue different textures to the letters such as rice, sandpaper, buttons, felt, carpet, furry material, etc.  Your child will enjoy feel the different textures as she traces the letters. Instead of creating the entire alphabet at once, consider only making the letters you are currently studying.  It will not be as overwhelming and you will soon have the entire alphabet.
  7. Clay.  Use clay to make letters.
  8. Painting.  Have your child paint letters on large pieces of paper.
  9. Techie Letters.  If you have a tablet then consider downloading apps that encouraging letter tracing. On the iPad you can find, ABC Tracer, Elmo Loves Letters, Little Writer, and iWrite Words.
  10. Twister Letters.  Remember the old Twister game?  Instead of placing your hands and feet on the colors you will have your child place her hands and feet on letters.  Use a Twister game to create this or make one of your own.