The past several weeks have been filled with wonderful conversations about teaching with intention and planning instruction around what matters most both for classroom and real world work.
In the dialogue, "Letter of the Week" has come up numerous times as teachers reflect on the best, most efficient way of building students necessary literacy competencies.
"Letter of the Week" is a popular program used in many early childhood classrooms. Teachers are asked to follow a predetermined scope of introducing one letter per week of school. Literacy activities and events are planned around the weeks designated letter.
This conversation reminded me of the following exercise I often use with parents and community groups illustrating the role of letter knowledge and the relationship it has to overall meaning making process.
Take a read:
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe . . . Amzanig huh!
Is there a place for explicit instruction in letter identification and knowledge of how letters work in words-ABSOLUTELY! Let me repeat myself-Letter identification is a critical early literacy milestone and has significant impact on early reading success. My concern is this:
- Does spending time coloring, cutting, pasting, and creating letter-based projects contribute to our long-term literacy goals?
- Do students make the connection between these practices and letters recognized in the context of words they read and write?
- Are there more authentic ways we could support students recognition of individual letters as a part of the lives real readers and writers lead?
The question/debate should not be about teaching students their letters, but rather HOW that instruction should look? So I am asking you: Is "Letter of the Week" the most efficient, effective way to help students associate this letter knowledge to the brains ability and communicate to make and communicate meaning?
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