Five Myths about Teaching the Alphabet
- Melissa McCall
- Feb 20, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 16
We all know that letters are a critical part of early literacy. In fact, studies show that alphabetic knowledge in preschool and kindergarten is one of the strongest predictors of reading success in later elementary years. There is a clear connection between difficulty learning letter names and future challenges with reading.
We know this is important, but how are we supposed to tackle teaching letters in the first place? Should we teach a letter a week? Go in ABC order? Start with uppercase? Do we even need to teach letter sounds?
When I began my journey in preschool literacy, these questions were always on my mind. I’m a research lover at heart, so I set out to uncover what the science actually says about how children learn the alphabet. And let me tell you, it changed everything about the way I teach.
Today, I want to share five common myths about teaching the alphabet. Understanding the science behind letter instruction helped me reframe my approach, and I’m excited to walk you through what I’ve learned!
Five Myths about Teaching the Alphabet
Myth 1: It is best to introduce the alphabet in ABC order.
Research shows that children learn letters in various orders, most often starting with the letters in their names. There is no one "correct" sequence for introducing letter names and sounds. But here are some helpful patterns from the research:
Children often learn the letters in their own names first.
Letters early in the alphabet (A, B, C) may be more familiar due to repeated exposure (alphabet books, songs, etc.).
Letters that include their sounds in their names (like /b/ in "B" or /s/ in "S") are typically easier to learn.
Letters with unique shapes, like X, stand out and may be learned earlier.
Because of this, I recommend starting with letters in children’s names and then building outward. Check out our post on LETTER CYLES!
Myth 2: We should teach one letter per week.
As mentioned above, children learn letters at a variety of rates and orders. I strongly believe that teaching one letter per week is not effective, and I would argue that by using this method, you are significantly delaying children’s letter acquisition and growth. Let me explain.
Let’s say a child named Abby already knows A and B. If you spend one week per letter, Abby will spend two weeks reviewing letters she already knows. That’s two weeks without being introduced to anything new!
Instead of a one-letter-per-week model, try introducing multiple letters at once and revisiting them often. This approach—called Letter Cycles—is supported by research and leads to faster, deeper acquisition.
Plus, introducing a variety of letters early on creates more opportunities for playful literacy exploration. Children can compare letter shapes, hear different sounds, and engage in sorting, matching, and movement-based games that deepen understanding. It also gives you more flexibility to differentiate for the learners in your room. Not every child needs the same letter at the same time, and that’s okay!
Myth 3: We only need to focus on uppercase letters when we first teach the alphabet.
Many teachers choose to introduce uppercase letters first. I assume that this belief came from the idea that children can developmentally write more uppercase letters than lowercase letters at a younger age. Programs such as Handwriting Without Tears teach uppercase letters first, because many uppercase letters consist of horizontal and vertical lines, which children are developmentally capable of drawing before slanted and curved lines. However, take a little stroll around your house or school. The world is full of both uppercase and lowercase letters. Think about names, which children love to learn. Names consist of ONE uppercase letter and the rest lowercase. Open a children’s book. Chances are extremely likely that you are going to see mostly lowercase letters. There is very little research related to if it is best to introduce uppercase or lowercase letters first (besides when it comes to handwriting).
I believe that we can and should expose children to both the uppercase and lowercase letters at the same time. While children may not be able to write both the uppercase and lowercase letter forms, they can certainly be exposed to how the lowercase letters are formed. While they may not be able to write the lowercase versions of the letters, they can practice the letter formation with their fingers in sand trays or by forming the letters with their fingers on the carpet. Exposing children to both uppercase and lowercase letters at the same time opens the door to greater letter acquisition.
Myth 4: Tracing letters is the most effective way to apply letter knowledge.
There is no doubt that children MUST learn proper letter formation. In fact, neuroscience has proven that handwriting boost brain activity and activates memory centers. Handwriting increases letter processing, as it activates memory retrieval of letter knowledge. I am a firm believer in handwriting instruction and believe that children need to learn proper letter formation from the start. Bad habits are very difficult to unwire in the brain.
When we think of handwriting instruction, we often give children worksheets with letters to trace. While there is a time and a place for this type of instruction, a recent study with MRI scanning of five year olds found that children’s “reading circuits” are much more active when handwriting practice is completed in free form (meaning that the children are writing the letters on a paper from memory, not simply tracing over a dotted line). Therefore, children must practice letter formation on their own, in fun and unique ways.
Do children need to learn proper letter formation…yes! Do children need opportunities to practice proper letter formation through tracing letters…yes! Is tracing letters the most effective way to build letter knowledge…no! Writing the letters in free form activates memory centers in the brain, forcing children to think about their prior knowledge and create the letter on their paper from memory. This is the most effective way to challenge the brain!
Myth 5: Children should first learn letter names before learning letter sounds.
Preschool is such an exciting time for building alphabetic knowledge. We sing the ABCs, point out letters in the world around us, and talk about letters in children’s names and books. Learning letter names is often the focus in preschool. It is not uncommon for a child as young as two years old to say random letters, or even properly identify a few. While letter names are very important, children must also be exposed to letter sounds in preschool.
Learning to read is HARD! The English language is complicated and confusing to say the least. How do we learn to read…through decoding. Decoding is the ability to apply knowledge of letter sound relationship and letter patterns to correctly pronounce (read) written words. The science of reading has proven that children must have a strong foundation in letter sounds to become successful readers. Therefore, I encourage teachers to focus on BOTH letter names and letter sounds simultaneously from the start.
I LOVE to use the Moving Little Minds Alphabet Motion Cards. By teaching children letter names and sounds, along with phonological awareness skills, we are creating a deeper understanding of what the letter symbols represent and building a strong foundation for beginning readers in the future. Building that strong foundation will make a great impact on our children! We must go beyond letter names in preschool!
I hope that these myths have given you some insight on what the research says about building alphabetic knowledge in preschool. Think critically about your current beliefs and consider your current practices. Is there something that could be modified or changed? Reach out with questions and comments at hello@movinglittleminds.com.
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References:
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Dinehart, L. H. (2014). Handwriting in early childhood education: Current research and future implications. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 15(1), 97–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798414522825
Drouin, M., Horner, S. L., & Sondergeld, T. A. (2012). Alphabet knowledge in preschool: A Rasch model analysis. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(3), 543–554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.12.008
James, K. H., & Engelhardt, L. (2012). The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 1(1), 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2012.08.001
Jones, C., Clark, S., & Reutzel, R. (2012). Enhancing alphabet knowledge instruction: Research implications and practical strategies for early childhood educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1–9. Retrieved August 23, 2022, from https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1403&context=teal_facpub.
Piasta, S. B. (2014). Moving to assessment-guided differentiated instruction to support young children's alphabet knowledge. The Reading Teacher, 68(3), 202–211. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1316
Piasta, S. B., & Wagner, R. K. (2010). Learning letter names and sounds: Effects of instruction, letter type, and Phonological Processing Skill. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 105(4), 324–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.12.008
Schuele, C. M., & Boudreau, D. (2008). Phonological awareness intervention: Beyond the basics. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 39(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2008/002)
Spear-Swerling, L. (2013, November 7). The importance of teaching handwriting. Reading Rockets. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/importance-teaching-handwriting
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