Knowing Letter Knowing Letter NamesNames

Letter Naming ResearchLetter Naming Research Letter naming is a strong predictor of phonics Letter naming is a strong predictor of phonics

acquisition and reading fluency.acquisition and reading fluency. Letter naming shows common ground among Letter naming shows common ground among

languages.languages. Knowing letter names accurately and fluently explain Knowing letter names accurately and fluently explain

variance in letter reading ability.variance in letter reading ability. Knowing letter names is a better predictor of later

reading than knowing letter sounds because learning letter names helps children acquire letter sounds since many letter names contain the letter sounds (Share, 2004; Treiman, Tincoff, Rodriguez, Mousaki, & Francis, 1998).

Letter Naming – Teaching and Letter Naming – Teaching and LearningLearning

Research has shown that learning letter names can be facilitated in a variety of ways (Justice,Pence, Bowles & Wiggins, 2006)

1. Letters that occur in children’s names2. Alphabetical order3. Letter frequency effect4. Explicit handwriting instruction

Letter Naming – Teaching and Letter Naming – Teaching and Learning (Continued)Learning (Continued)

Reading aloud alphabet books and discussing letters (Brabham, Murray, and Bowden, 2006).

Singing songs and writing songs can be used to support children’s learning of letter names (Smith, 2000).

Writing letters using explicit instruction, guided practice, dictation, shared and interactive writing (Stachoviak, 1996; McCarrier, Fountas, & Pinnell, 2000).

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Using children’s names.Using children’s names.

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names Class names BINGOClass names BINGO Using children’s namesUsing children’s names1.1. Jump Rope RhymesJump Rope Rhymes

1.1. My name is ____________________My name is ____________________2.2. My friend’s name is ______________My friend’s name is ______________3.3. We come from ________________We come from ________________4.4. And we sell ___________________And we sell ___________________

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Using alphabetical order and Read-Using alphabetical order and Read-AloudAloud

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Using letter frequency (Frye 2004)Using letter frequency (Frye 2004)

1.1. Consonants in order of frequencyConsonants in order of frequency

r,t,n,s,l,c,d,p,m,b,f,v,g,h,k,w,th,sh,ng,r,t,n,s,l,c,d,p,m,b,f,v,g,h,k,w,th,sh,ng,ch,x,z,j,qu,wh,ych,x,z,j,qu,wh,y

2.2. Vowels in order of frequencyVowels in order of frequency Short i, a, e, schwa, long o & e, short u & o, long a, u, & i, r controlled a & o, ou, oo, oi, air, ar

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names Naming the Letters1. Saying the names of letters not only reinforces

the names of letters but also many of the sounds (except g (hard g sound), h, w & y):

2. Vowels – a, e, i, o, & u3. Consonants – b, c, d, f, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v,

x, z4. Letters where the sound of the letter is at the

beginning of the letter names are learned easiest, then at the end of the letter names, and then not in the letter names (Treiman, et al., 1994; 1997; 1998; 2003).

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names Writing the LettersWriting the Letters1.1. Explicit teaching Explicit teaching and guided practice of letter

forms facilitates writing and letter naming fluency (Graham, Harris & Fink, 2000; Schlagal, 2007).

2. Short daily practice sessions are most effective3. Teacher demonstrations of how to form a letter

while describing how it is formed is best for younger children.

4. Copying or tracing a letter from a correct model is helpful for children’s practice. When doing this children should use a “look, say, cover, write, check” technique.

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Writing the lettersWriting the letters1. Explicit teaching and guided practice

of letter forms facilitates writing and letter naming fluency (Graham, Harris & Fink, 2000; Schlagal, 2007).

2. Using pictographs in story or song3. based instruction for introducing

letters such as is found in the British Letterland approach is helpful.

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Play “I Spy with My Little Play “I Spy with My Little Eye”Eye”

1.1. Teacher lays out multiple Teacher lays out multiple children’s books on the children’s books on the floor or table.floor or table.

2.2. Teacher says: “I spy with Teacher says: “I spy with my little eye the letter my little eye the letter ‘e’.”‘e’.”

3.3. The student must find a The student must find a letter “e” on any of the letter “e” on any of the book covers provided.book covers provided.

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter Names

Practicing letter dictationPracticing letter dictation

1.1. Teacher should dictate random Teacher should dictate random letters (both upper and lower case)letters (both upper and lower case)

2.2. Student has 10 seconds to write Student has 10 seconds to write that letter on his/her markerboardthat letter on his/her markerboard

3.3. Decrease time as the students Decrease time as the students progress.progress.

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter NamesAn action research project on the “Letter a Day”

approach…

• 4 schools in a Reading First School District matched on Demographics and

Achievement levels

1.952.100 % poverty3.75% second language learners4. Inner city setting 5.95% diversity6.Low achieving

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter NamesAn action research project on the “Letter a Day

Approach” continued…

• 3 schools changed to a letter a day format including lowest school of the 4

1. 1 school remained unchanged with a letter a week

2. Results after a year?

Learning Letter NamesLearning Letter NamesAn action research project on the “Letter a Day

Approach” continued…

• Letter Naming Fluency Test (DIBELS) at end of year.

1. 3 schools using a letter a day

2. Percentage of kindergarten students at benchmark 88% -97%.

3. 1 school using letter a week

4. Percentage of students at benchmark 44%.

D. Ray Reutzel, Ph.D. Emma Eccles Jones Endowed Chair

Professor Utah State University

DIBELS for Letter NamingDIBELS for Letter Naming

DynamicDynamic Indicators ofIndicators of BasicBasic EarlyEarly LiteracyLiteracy SkillsSkills

Why is DIBELS important?Why is DIBELS important? Studies show that the Studies show that the

later a reading later a reading deficiency is identified, deficiency is identified, the harder it is to catch the harder it is to catch the student up.the student up.

DIBELS tests students DIBELS tests students as early as as early as Kindergarten for these Kindergarten for these deficiencies.deficiencies.

DIBLES Background DIBLES Background InformationInformation

DIBELS was DIBELS was developed by Dr. developed by Dr. Roland Good III and Roland Good III and Dr. Ruth Kaminski. Dr. Ruth Kaminski. It measures the five It measures the five critical areas of critical areas of literacy indicated literacy indicated by the National by the National Reading Panel Reading Panel (2000) and the (2000) and the National Research National Research Council (1998).Council (1998).

National Reading National Reading Panel and Reading Panel and Reading First Five Critical First Five Critical

Areas of Early Areas of Early Reading SkillsReading Skills

DIBELSDIBELS

Assessment/FluenciesAssessment/Fluencies

Phonemic AwarenessPhonemic Awareness Initial SoundInitial Sound

Phoneme Phoneme SegmentationSegmentation

PhonicsPhonics Nonsense WordNonsense Word

FluencyFluency Letter NamingLetter Naming

Oral ReadingOral Reading

ComprehensionComprehension RetellRetell

VocabularyVocabulary Word UsageWord Usage