1. By: Kim M. Breon Due: Nov. 6th, 2011 EDU 742
Alphabet Matching
By: Kim M. Breon Due: Nov. 6th, 2011 EDU 742

2. What is it?
Young learners are finding out that there is a systematic relationships to letters and sounds in their environments.
This is a way for students to learn the upper case and lower case letters through matching

3. Why use it?
Letter naming is a strong predictor of later reading success
Learning letter names helps a child learn letter sounds
It helps students develop their understanding of the alphabetic principle

4. When do we use it?
Teachers can use this teaching method before, during and after reading to ensure student success.
This can be taught either in small groups, one on one instruction, or even with the entire class.

5. How Do We Use It?
For some students, seeing all 26 letters of the alphabet is a bit overwhelming.
It is best to teach the alphabet in chunks of 5 letters for emerging learner in a one to one setting.

6. Ways to Match
Students are able to do a dot with these printable worksheets that can get cut out and used for a matching activity.
Teachers can also use cookie pans upside down to have students match upper case and lower case alphabet letters.

7. Ways to Match Continued
A great way my students enjoy letter matching is using shaving cream. They have to make the lower case or upper case version of the letter I write. This also gives my students sensory input.

8. Ways to Match Continued
In my classroom, we also use note cards with upper case and lower case letters for students to match.
I have several students who do not enjoy the shaving cream method, so we use chalk and water or an eraser to make letters on the chalkboard.

9. Books to Aid This Strategy
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin & John Archambault
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
Kipper's A to Z: An Alphabet Adventure by Nick Inkpen
Farm Alphabet Book by Jane Miller

10. Summary
This is a very simple way to introduce letters to students without overwhelming them.
Daniels and Zemelman (2004) state that teachers should use activities that build engagement with the text.
For my students, most whom are pre-readers, this is a great way to build engagement, even if it is with matching the alphabet letters.

11. References
Alphabet - Google Image. (n.d.). Google. Retrieved November 6, 2011, from
Daniels, H., & Zemelman, S. (2004). Subjects matter: every teacher's guide to content-area reading. Chicago: Heinemann.
(Dutton), A. J. (n.d.). Alphabet Matching | Classroom Strategies | Reading Rockets. Reading Comprehension & Language Arts Teaching Strategies for Kids | Reading Rockets. Retrieved November 6, 2011, from