Teaching the alphabet through: actions, food and mnemonic pictorial devices

1. Teaching the alphabet through: actions, food and mnemonic pictorial devices Jennifer McCarthy Konnoak Elementary School WS/FC Schools Kindergarten

2. Background: • This is a graph representing the letter knowledge of 19 students the second week of school.

3. Background (cont.): • Morris states that Kindergarten teachers need to develop ways of teaching the alphabet and determine its effects by the results. • Snow states that children age 3-4 are able to identify at least 10 letters of the alphabet, especially those in their name (1998). • Not knowing letters is coupled with extreme difficulty in learning letter sounds, word knowledge and ultimately learning to read (Adams 1995). • In Morris and Bloodgoods’ study (2003) they found that alphabet recognition was a significant predictor of first grade reading at the beginning and middle of the Kindergarten school year. • Morris and Slavin conclude that by the end of kindergarten a child should be able to name 22 or more letters of the alphabet. If they name 17 or fewer letters they may be at risk as they enter first grade (2003).

4. Background (cont.) • I knew that most of my students did not come from strong background where they were provided with literacy experiences and children in poverty are less likely to be ready for school (Fails 2005). • Jacobson states that kindergarteners in the lowest fifth of socioeconomic status own 38 books compared to the top fifth who own over 108 books (2002). • Adams stated that we have to make sure we have lots of time so they can really be learned and that kids have got to have letters down pat at the recognition level so we can talk about them and they can keep up with us. We need to know and understand that teachers can do a lot of stuff and they are responsible for teaching a lot in kindergarten but you can’t do anything with phonics and phonemic awareness if they have to think too much about which letter is which (2004).

5. Research Questions: • What are the effects of teaching through action, food, and mnemonic pictorial devices on learning and retaining the alphabet? • What type of instruction engages the students and holds their interest? • What are the effects of each type of instruction on the production of the alphabet?

6. Participants: • 12 Kindergarten Students • 8 boys, 4 girls • 9 Hispanic, 2 Caucasian, 1 African American • (1 unmedicated ADHD, 1 going through SAT for Autism, 4 Speech)

7. Intervention/Instructional Procedure: • 6 weeks of research (6 Target Letters) • 3 methods or modes of teaching the target letter. Alternating the method each week. • 2 groups of 6 students in small groups 20 minutes each day, four days per week. • During this instruction students would review all target alphabet letters, focus on a new letter and method (action, food, picture) each week, read text with the target letter, and participate in writing the target letter.

8. Data Collection: • Alphabet Recognition-Formal All the alphabet (initial assessment and at 3 week period) Target letters (from the whole alphabet assessment and only those target letters on the final assessment) • Alphabet Writing Creative or Journal Writing Samples (Initial & 5 weeks) Samples from instruction (Weekly) Target letters (3 weeks and 6 weeks) • Beginning Sound Association Final assessment • Anecdotal Notes (Weekly) • Checklist Participation (Weekly) Writing Activities (Daily)

9. Data Analysis: • Individually • Method (action, food, picture)

10. Results: • All students except 2 showed significant gains and retention of the alphabet over the 6 weeks. • 5 students learned more than the target letters over the 6 weeks. • No method showed higher gains than the others • The food method showed a constant between the two weeks.

15. Discussion: • Time • Methods of Instruction that meet learner needs is important • Children come to school with different levels of readiness • Research and standards are set for Middle America and everyone is expected to perform • Children of poverty have less books (38 compared to 108), watch 7 hours more of TV per week and only 20% have computer technology in their homes compared to 85% in higher income homes. • Parent Involvement & push for Pre-Kindergarten Programs in at-risk communities

16. Future Direction: • Integrating a tactile method into my alphabet instruction • Re-evaluating student groups and needs • Looking at methods and strategies for teaching writing to Kindergarteners.

17. Resources: • Reproducible Little Books “Sing & Read” Alphabet Series By: Frog Street Press • Stangl, Karen. Hands-On Phonics Activities for Elementary Children. The Center for Applied Research In education West Nyack, NY 2000.

18. References: • Adams, Marilyn (speaker). (October 2004). Interview with David Boulton (electronic transcript). Thinking and Learning About Beginning to Read: Children of the code. Manuscript web site: Http://www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/adams.htm#back • Adams, M., & Bruck, M. (Summer 1995) Resolving the ‘Great Debate.’ American Federation of Teachers, 7-19. • Fails, Regena (Spring 2005). The impact of Ready Environments on Achievement on Kindergarten. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. • Gerard, Maureen (Spring 2004). What's a parent to do?: phonics and other stuff. Childhood Education, 159. • Jacobson, Linda (Oct 2, 2002). Kindergarten Study Links Learning Deficits to Poverty. Education Week. • Morris, Darrell and Bloodgood, Janet (2003). Kindergarten Predictors of First- and Second- Grade Reading Achievement [Electronic version]. Elementary School Journal, 93-109. • Morris, D., & Slavin, R. (2003) Every Child Reading. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. • Morris, D. (1999) Preventing Reading Failure in the Primary Grades. National Reading Conference Yearbook 17-38. • Morris, D. (1999). The Howard Street Tutoring Manual. New York: Guildford Press. • Snow, et al. (1998). Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Washington, DC: National Research Council, 172-189.