During the Emerging Phase, it is appropriate to emphasize consonants. In the English language, consonants do not vary in sound and spelling combinations to the same extent as do vowel sounds. Researchers suggest that consonants are easier for children to learn and that they draw upon their knowledge of consonants more frequently when decoding or creating text. One way to understand the usefulness of emphasizing consonants is to compare the process of decoding unfamiliar words when the consonant sounds are known and used, to decoding using vowel sound knowledge. The purpose of the alphabet-song activities is not to teach alphabetic order but to support letter recognition together with knowledge of letter names.
Adults use letter names frequently when supporting children's reading and writing.
Chalkboard and chalk Pointer Set of laminated alphabet cards. Procedures Sing the alphabet song with emerging learners on a regular basis but vary the ways that you do this. Variations Print the letters of the alphabet across the chalkboard while children are observing. Demonstrate singing the sounds that the letters make instead of singing the names of the letters. Stop on letters with more than one sound and sing both or all sounds of that letter.