Ds 4 not catching on to the ABCs. How can I help him?

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 5:37 pm

Ds age 4 is not catching on to the ABCs. How can I help him? His class learned the first few letters already, but he seems lost and feels bad about it. Also his teacher is starting to get concerned....
He also doesn't seem to have any phonological awareness (like if I ask him what starts with an A sound, he's unable to answer that....)
I don't mind spending a little on toys/books/games/workbooks and ect to help him learn.
Any recommendations?

amother

Dill

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 5:40 pm

Work on initial sounds. We're playing with a ball bbbb ball. What is the first found in bbballl. Then identify 2 same sounds. Ball and baby.. Rhyming.

mha3484

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 5:43 pm

Thats is really young to be honest. I would not be worried until closer to age 6. Is he in pre1a or the year before? We call it nursery some people call it prek.

miami85

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 5:46 pm

Developmentally kids MAY start learning ABCs as early as 4, but the developmental curve still considers it normal until 6-7 years old--which is why historically kids were not taught/expected to know how to read until 1st grade. Technological advances do not mean that kids will learn skills earlier than the brain is wired to do so. As much as you hold a 4 month old vertical--they will not walk any earlier than they are biologically pre-determined to do so.

p.s. I'm a school psychologist with a degree in early childhood special education.

missknowitall

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 5:54 pm

I wouldn't worry yet, but this toy helps with letter recognition if you want to help him https://www.amazon.com/LeapFro.....;th=1

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:00 pm

Thanks everyone. So the thing is the school places an emphasis on learning the ABCs in kindergarten and then starts learning to read in pre-1A (just like some schools do that with aleph bais in kindergarten and start with reading in pre-1A)
I think the school will work with me if he's just not ready for it, but I would like to help him keep up as much as is possible....

mha3484

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:03 pm

I find though that the schools that focus on aleph bais the year before pre1a they still spend quite a bit of pre1a reviewing it because not all kids get it. I would hope they do the same for the english alphabet.

imasinger

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:15 pm

I like using songs. Just Google alphabet letter sounds (or phonics sounds) songs. Pick one, and play it all the time. Also good --Dr Seuss's alphabet book.

Many kids learn their ABCs very early, there's nothing bad about encouraging it for age 4.

notshanarishona

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:16 pm

I find that many kids are not developmentally ready to learn so young. You can do every kind of practice out there but if they aren’t ready it will be slow moving and then hopefully one day in a year or two it will just click and he will start picking things up.
I used to do resource room for kindergarten and so many kids who struggled in kindergarten did great in 1st grade. Some kids are ready to learn early but it doesn’t mean there is a problem. I wouldn’t stress about it.
It’s also only the beginning of the school year, way to early to worry about academics for a 4 year old.

southernbubby

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:22 pm

Kids make letters out of cookie dough
They have refrigerator magnets in the shape of letters
We can make our bodies into letters
And march letters out
We can trace letters in sand
We can use letter stickers
We can use flash cards
And ABC puzzles
We can point out letters on cereal boxes and other items
We can cut letters out with scissors
Etc

cbg

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:29 pm

Find out what letter they are doing for the week
And place that letter all over the house and car make cut out

Have him paint the letter
There are bath tub paints he can use to paint the letter while taking a bath

You can fill a baggie with purel gel and have him trace the letter, I saw this on Instagram

If you have a magnadoodle let him write the letter on that

Make the shape of letters using blocks, magna tiles , etc.

Make foods that start with that letter and say
Apple begins with A
Banana begins with B
Carrots begin with C
which ever letter of the week

At this age concentrate mostly on the CONSONANT sounds and concentrate on the strong sound
For example C is for cookie
Don’t worry about C is for city
G is for gate or gorilla

Don’t assume they are going in order
If they are using a program they probably won’t

If I think of more ideas I’ll let you know

flowerpower

Tue, Oct 26 2021, 6:32 pm

4 is young. My child was 5 when she starting understanding the words that starts with that letter concept. They usually start learning the alphabets at age 5. No?

English3

Wed, Oct 27 2021, 2:46 pm

Is he learning ABC and aleph beis together? If yes, it sounds way too much for this age. I taught and to five year olds. In our school the grades are split in months. The youngest class always struggled with the ABC BC they only turned five at the end of the year.