Learning Letter FAQ

Before teaching your child letters, here are answers to the most common asked questions about letters!

Should I teach letter names or letter sounds first?

The decision of whether to teach a child letter names or letter sounds first depends on various factors, including the child's age, learning style, and educational goals. Generally, teaching letter sounds before letter names is often recommended in phonics-based approaches to early literacy. This method, known as "phonemic awareness," focuses on helping children understand the individual sounds (phonemes) that make up words. By learning letter sounds first, children can begin to decode words phonetically, which is crucial for reading and spelling.

Because letter sounds are directly correlated to functional reading, I highly suggest teaching letter sounds first. In some circumstances it may be beneficial for the child to learn letter sounds and names together. Some situations that might be best for teaching sounds and names together include: the child already has knowledge of some or all letter names, the child is older than 5 and whose memory can handle learning both at the same time. 

Should I teach uppercase or lowercase letters first?

When deciding whether to teach a child uppercase or lowercase letters first, it's essential to consider the practical applications and developmental readiness of the child. Many educators suggest introducing lowercase letters before uppercase because lowercase letters are more commonly used in text, making them more immediately relevant to a child's reading and writing experiences. Learning lowercase letters first also aligns with the natural progression of language acquisition, as lowercase letters are typically introduced in early childhood and are encountered more frequently in daily reading materials.

I personally suggest teaching lowercase letters first if your child is young and inexperienced with letters. In some circumstances it may be beneficial for the child to learn lowercase letters and uppercase letters together. Some situations that might be best for teaching sounds and names together include: the child already has knowledge of some or all uppercase letters and/or the child is older than 5 and whose memory can handle learning both at the same time. 

Should I teach print or cursive letters first?

Typically Montessori theory teaches cursive letters first. Montessori advocates for introducing cursive letters early on, arguing that learning cursive can enhance fine motor skills, promote handwriting fluency, and improve letter recognition. Additionally, cursive writing has historical and cultural significance, and some children may find it engaging and enjoyable to learn. This works very well in a Montessori classroom where the child starts at a young age with cursive and the child has time to transition to print when they are ready. 

On the other hand, Traditionally, print letters have been taught first in many educational settings because they are typically easier to learn and are more commonly used in everyday writing, especially in early childhood education. Print letters are clear and distinct, making them accessible for young learners to grasp letter formation and recognition.

To decide whether to start with print or cursive it is important to think about what language program your child's school will be using. For example if your child is 5 and you teach him cursive then put him in a traditional kindergarten school where they teach print first, this may be a disservice to him as he could be confused. If you plan on homeschooling your child then you have no school curriculum to align to and you can choose cursive or print to start. 

What order should I teach the letters?

Short answer is, it doesn't matter!! Long answer is that there are certain letters that are easiest to start with.

Letters that occur most commonly in reading are: e, t, a, o, i, n

Letters that are easiest for the child to pronounce are: m, s, h, l

All words have to have a vowel in it so teaching vowels early on can be beneficial. 

You can start with letters in the child's name as they are most familiar with those letters. 

How to pronounce the letter sounds?

When teaching letter sounds to your child, it is crucial to teach the correct corresponding letter sound. This may seem obvious but it is very common that parents assume the wrong sounds as some letters can make different sounds. To learn which sounds to teach, check out my youtube video: Here

How to trace the letters correctly?

When teaching letters the Montessori way you also introduce the child to the correct letter formation by tracing the sandpaper letter. It is very important to show the child how to trace the letter correctly so they mimic the formation correctly. To learn how to trace the letters correctly see my video here: Here

To learn exactly how to teach letters to your child the Montessori way check out my blog post: How to teach letters the Montessori way

To learn how to teach your child to read step-by-step check out my FREE Montessori Reading Masterclass

Watch the Masterclass Here