Learning the sounds of the alphabet is essential for beginning readers. Research shows us that, letter names initially provide no link to the letter sounds. Expecting children to learn the letter names at the same time as letter sounds may only be confusing because children hear two distinctly different sounds. Now say the letter sound. If you repeat this with each letter of the alphabet, you will hear the difference between the letter names and the letter sounds.
Research states that when the body moves, the brain remembers.
We know statistically that anytime we physically perform, memory is enhanced. The alphabet is one unit with 26 parts which are all necessary for reading and spelling mastery. Emergent learners can use the whole alphabet immediately because the Zoo-phonics Animals and Signals make it so concrete and playful. It is much easier for a child to remember the sounds of a word with two and three letters, than to memorize the configuration of larger words. Most long vowels are found in larger words because they require other vowels to create the long sound.