Since posting about our homeschool pre-k goals and learning styles, I’ve been working on planning lessons to meet those goals. But I’m stumped! I was planning to do a hands-on style letter of the week, but I’m not sure that is what Caden needs or would even be interested it. I’m not interested in forcing him to learn something he isn’t ready for the whole year.
To Letter of the Week or Not Letter of the Week? That is the Question!
Part of my hesitation stems from our short stint at trying out tot school. At age 2, letter of the week was an epic failure! Back then I really had no idea what I was doing. But now that Caden is 4.5 years old, he seems more interested in letters and reading and I have a better understanding of how he learns.
However, he hasn’t learned to recognize many letters using whole alphabet learning activities. He has about a handful of very obscure letters (X, Q, S, M, O) under his belt and I’m starting to think maybe be needs more structured lessons to learn academics. With Letter of the Week style lessons it will be easier for me to point out one letter at a time rather than trying to teach them all at once.
Here are some thoughts on Letter of the Week from the early childhood education professionals:
- Tips for Teaching Letters and Letter Sounds from This Reading Mama
- Exploring Letters: Why We Don’t Do Letter of the Week from Still Playing School
- No More Letter of the Week from Pre-K Pages
After re-reading these posts on the pros and cons of letter of the week style lessons, I think we will try a hybrid style of alphabet learning. I’m planning on focusing on one letter a week for four weeks and then doing a week of review or whole alphabet learning. With this method I will be better able to point out specific letters in books and in our environment, while also encouraging whole alphabet learning. If this method doesn’t seem to be working out, we can always try something else! This is only preschool, not the end of the world. I am confident he will learn the alphabet eventually!
What do you think? Did you use a Letter of the Week style to teach your preschooler the alphabet? How did your preschooler learn the alphabet?
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Letter of the Week has never worked for me, but that’s the nature of Family Child Care, I don’t technically have a beginning and ending of the year. I have kids at all levels, too. We’re basically doing ALL the letters, ALL the time and the kids pick it up as they’re ready. It is great to have so many resources to access. It makes the task so much easier and more fun!
I was stumped about letter of the week too. I think the idea is to make it relevant. So, for example, if you had an “a” day where you had apples, apricots and apple sauce for a snack, rather than just focusing on the letter “a” all on it’s on. Good luck! I’m looking forward to hearing about your first year of more formal homeschooling 🙂
This is such a well thought out post with so much intention behind what you are planning for your son. He is lucky to have you!!!