A Little Learning (More) About Letters in Hebrew and English

My son LOVES this book, one of the very
first board books he ever got. It introduces
each Hebrew letter with a picture and Hebrew
word along with it. 

 Along with our themes in play and homeschool learning, I try to incorporate early recognition of letters in both English and Hebrew. The intention is not that my two year old is able to recognize every letter and beginning sound (though he is already able to do so with many in both languages) or even that he begin reading or writing at this point. The intention is to introduce them through play and exposure in a way that is enjoyable and encouraging.

Teaching the Hebrew alphabet, or alephbet is something I am passionate about as I did not learn it myself until I was already in my twenties and teaching it to preschoolers! The "old" method of teaching the alephbet in America involved teaching the letter with the associated sound and a Hebrew word. Nowadays many favor teaching the letters with their associated sound and an English word since most children do not speak Hebrew fluently in their home. (Think letter dalet for dagim [Hebrew: fish] or dreidel versus dog or donut.) In classrooms I generally focus my teaching on the newer style, incorporating only commonly familiar Hebrew words to a letter. At home, we do both and introduce English words beginning with the sound of the Hebrew letter as well as Hebrew ones to build vocabulary.

We started building our alephbet train when our son was still teeny tiny! It hangs now (still yet to be finished) above our dining room table. He loves looking at it and reciting the letters as he eats! Now that he is older he will take a hands-on involvement in helping to create our remaining train cars.

 In English, I follow a specific order of introducing letters recommended by speech pathologists and early reading specialists. This method is intended to be most supportive to young children as they develop early verbal and literacy skills. In Hebrew, I introduce letters in alphabetical order. I do not have a set routine of how I introduce letters in either language. Sometimes we do a craft or project. Sometimes I incorporate it into sensory play or use manipulatives like magnets, foam letter shapes, puzzles, etc. The most important thing to me is that my son (or students) find it enjoyable and are exposed to letters more and more rather than that they memorize them or demonstrate proficiency. Children do learn their letters, beginning sounds, rhyming awareness and penmanship all in due time. Sometimes one or multiple areas excel while one takes more time to develop or "click." Generally speaking, however, it does happen--and in cases where additional support is needed, there are a lot of great resources out there.

Learning the letter "H" and about some of the aspects
that make a Jewish home so special: welcoming guests and
the mezuzah on the door!

Using a variety of manipulatives like these letter rocks or magnets, stickers, stamps, puzzles and more can appeal to letter, word and name recognition while simultaneously developing fine motor skills and tactile awareness both necessary to develop future writing skills!

Worksheets and coloring sheets also have their place. We use them with crayons and markers and other art materials and sometimes we use them with dry erase markers or even playdough in a laminated pouch like this one so we can re-use them again and again!

Rather than formally introducing the letter "R," which we had learned a bit about over the summer, I incorporated it through review into our Noah's Ark theme as we learned about the rainbow. 

I am admittedly a recovering reluctant reader. My own mother has a master's degree in teaching reading and child literacy! Yet I was not the kid who loved to read. I think I finally developed my own love of literacy and reading in high school. What I did love throughout childhood and into adulthood was writing. My mother provided ample opportunities to practice that in journals and notebooks, even on the computer. What I didn't know was that I was learning to love reading through my writing. Exposure and opportunity were everything! Fostering a lifelong love of literacy takes both of these factors--anything else is icing on the cake. Happy reading, writing and most importantly, playing!