Ep. 180: Teaching the Alphabet with Shayne Piasta

Shayne Piasta discusses best practices for teaching alphabet knowledge. She tells us what the research suggests about teaching  letter names and sounds, why teaching a letter of the week may not be the most effective approach, and an order to teach letters. The best part? She shares concrete ideas and strategies for classroom practice. 

Takeaways

• Teach both letter names and sounds simultaneously.
• Consider the acrophonic principle, where the letter name gives clues to its sound.
• Avoid teaching letters of the week and consider a faster pacing for letter instruction.
• Be intentional about the order of teaching letters, considering children's names and frequency of letters in text.
• Use differentiated instruction and embedded mnemonics for effective alphabet instruction.

Resources

• Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy
• The Science of Early Alphabet Instruction, chapter 7
• Ohio State University Alphabet Learning and Instruction research and articles
• Ohio State University Early Literacy and Learning Lab
• Episode 164: Misconceptions About Learning to Read with Carolyn Strom 

We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.

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