Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?
– Steven Wright, comedian, actor and producer

Yesterday, we quoted Stacy Benge on advocating for practices based in research. In her book Whole Child Alphabet, Benge has done her research and invites us to pass up ‘letter of the week’ and similar instructional approaches for ones that “respect the foundational skills that need to be developed and create an environment that supports the growth of those skills.”

These include:

• Learning the alphabet begins with interest and connection
• Letter recognition begins with vision
• Letter sounds begin with phonemic awareness
• Writing the alphabet begins with physical development
• Alphabet knowledge begins with child-led play

Benge continues:

“The concept of alphabet knowledge needs to go beyond just naming letters and their sounds. The mindset should embrace the foundational skills and recognize that if the experience develops foundational skills, it is supporting alphabet knowledge, even if it isn’t an ‘alphabet based’ activity. This completely transforms the outlook of the learning environment, and brings to light how crucial child-led play is in this process. Move past the lesson plans dictated by purchased curriculums that focus on a preset list of outcomes. Leave behind activities that revolve around letter of the week, flash cards, and worksheets, as these tend to skip steps and just “surface teach.” Instead, seek child-centered approaches that acknowledge the solid foundations necessary for alphabet knowledge. Create environments and experiences that respect the whole child and encourage children to play and develop the fundamentals needed for literacy.”