The alphabet is the most basic component of pre-literacy; to be able to read, you must first learn the letters. Most kids like music and according to the British Council, may be more motivated to learn--any subject--if it's presented to them through music. The letter song is a device used to teach kids the alphabet while enjoying the sensory experiences of music. You can expose your children to music and the alphabet song at any age, even before they can speak.
Step 1
Buy, borrow or download a recording of the letter song you want to teach your kids. Play it as background music in the car, during playtime or at other periods of the day without calling attention to the music. Your child may not appear to be listening to the song or may not consciously pay attention to the music, but he will unknowingly become familiar with the tune just from hearing it as part of his background noise.
Step 2
Make flashcards that will help you teach your kids the alphabet. Write down each letter of the alphabet--capitals and lower-case forms--on a separate index card, using colorful markers or crayons. The British Council suggests using worksheets or other visuals to encourage alphabet practice when teaching children English.
Step 3
Sing the letter song to your kids, slowly and clearly so they can understand what you're saying and learn the tune. Encourage them to clap in time to the music or hum along if they don't know the letters yet. KidsHealth from Nemours explains that toddlers especially like to experience music rather than just listen to it passively. Young children like repetition, so be prepared to sing the alphabet song over and over again.
Step 4
Place your flashcards--each letter as it comes up in the song--on a table or the floor as you sing to the tune of the song. Your child will not only learn how to enunciate each letter but what it looks like in writing as well.
Step 5
Reinforce the tune of the alphabet song by using the same note patterns for other purposes. For example, you can sing, rather than say to your children "let's sing an alphabet song together now" in the tune of the ABC song to help them get used to the tune.
Things You'll Need
- Musical recordings
- Markers or crayons
- Index cards
