Need help- the ABC's are not "sticking!"

[deut6family]

I need some input. I have 3 daughters. The older two learned the names of the letters and sounds by the age of 5 with no problems! My 3rd born is 4 1/2 years old... and true to birth order is quite the "silly girl" and I can't seem to figure out how to teach her in a way that sticks! She is having trouble remembering the Sounds and the Letter Names. I have been following Carrie's letter of the week plan in LTHTH, but she does not remember the motions that go with each letter, or the "hint"...so that doesn't help. I am wondering if I should use a different flashcard with a picture/word connection to the sounds of the letters ? Does anyone have any recommendations for me? We are at letter Ii this week, but she still can only tell me A, B and C! I hate moving on when she doesn't remember the ones we've done already, but I can't stay stalled all year long... she gets bored and so do I. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

Sarah

[8arrows]

I have a silly, hyper seven-year old girl. When she was 4, her phonics lessons were a joke, but I had a good attitude about it because she enjoyed school, and I figured it couldn't hurt. We just kept moving. We were using some of those pages where you circle the picture if it starts with a certain letter. I would say does T-T Tiger start like Turtle. She might adamantly say, "No!" I just started saying, "Yes, it does. Please ciircle it." She was fine with it. Fast forward a year. She got phonics so quickly. She just wasn't ready. So, all that to say, I would just keep going and having fun. Keep reviewing too, but don't sweat it. You never know when it will click!

[glperky]

I have a 6yr old DS who we have been working on letters and their sounds since he was three and he still doesn't have them. I have been looking at the Learning Gates on HSLDA, called HSLDA, and think I am going to try the reading program that Child 1st sells. Don't know if any of that helps but just wanted you to know that your not alone. You can PM me if you would like.

[Tidbits of Learning]

Have you tried the video "The Letter Factory" by Leap Frog? Look for it on Netflix or Walmart or Target have it for about $10. It is great. The little Frog, Tad, doesn't know his letters and their sounds and his Dad works at The Letter Factory and has to go in to work. There is a whole series of them The Letter Factory, The Word Factory, The Code Word Caper...you can often get them in a set together. They really work and kids don't even realize it is learning. Lots of singing cartoon characters and singing letters. My boys both watched them when they were little.

[MelInKansas]

I agree with Tidbits, Letter Factory is a great little sing-song reminder. My oldest didn't get them at all when she was 4. I finally figured out she knew 4 letters every time she saw them, A, O, J, and M. Which just happened to be the initials of the 4 members of our family (we only had 4 at that time). We were working on K and I got out a Key for her to touch and hold and we talked about K and the "K" sound. Ever after that she remembered K. She is a kinesthetic learner and so movement or physical interaction really helps her remember things. There is so much of this built into HOD. But for my DD it was having an object or person to connect the letter with that finally helped them start sticking. But as the other poster said, with the struggle that it was to begin with, she got them all by age 5 and started learning to read by 5 1/2. So you could just keep going with LHTH. It's not necessary for them to remember them all, but Letter Factory and finding physical things to connect with may help.

Blessings

[8arrows]

YES! I forgot about Letter Factory!!!!!

[Catherine]

My kiddos have all liked Starfall.com as a supplement for learning their letters/sounds.

[nena3927]

I give another shout out for The Leapfrog Letter Factory !!! I have used that alone to teach all 3 of my dc and it worked GREAT!!! Within just a couple of weeks, they learned their letters AND sounds and they have never had a problem remembering them since. If you haven't tried that dvd yet I would HIGHLY recommend it

[my3sons]

This is excellent advice!

I have a silly, hyper seven-year old girl. When she was 4, her phonics lessons were a joke, but I had a good attitude about it because she enjoyed school, and I figured it couldn't hurt. We just kept moving. We were using some of those pages where you circle the picture if it starts with a certain letter. I would say does T-T Tiger start like Turtle. She might adamantly say, "No!" I just started saying, "Yes, it does. Please ciircle it." She was fine with it. Fast forward a year. She got phonics so quickly. She just wasn't ready. So, all that to say, I would just keep going and having fun. Keep reviewing too, but don't sweat it. You never know when it will click!

"The Letter Factory" is also a great idea!
In Christ,
Julie

[lmercon]

Just try to work a little "fun" practice into your day. For example, when you're out in the car, say, "Hey, let's see if we can find some thing that start with the "d" sound!"
FWI, I would promote letter sounds over letter names.

[deut6family]

We were working on K and I got out a Key for her to touch and hold and we talked about K and the "K" sound. Ever after that she remembered K. She is a kinesthetic learner and so movement or physical interaction really helps her remember things. There is so much of this built into HOD. But for my DD it was having an object or person to connect the letter with that finally helped them start sticking.

I like THIS! I never thought about having an object for her to actually touch that starts with that letter! I will work on this... It could help. I had some flashcards filed away that were "action" flashcards. So for each letter there was an action or motion to do that started with that letter. So for "A" we "Act Silly" and "B" we "Balance on one foot" She seemed to like it... but I don't know how much it will stick!

We DO have the leapfrog letter factory, she actually asks to watch it! I don't think it has helped too much- but maybe if i start using "the song" they sing to incorporate it into our learning each day as we repeat each letter it might help.

I do also agree that I don't need to push her. She will get it when she is ready! Trying to remember this... but also not wanting her to think she can be silly and not have to learn either!

Thanks for all the advice!!! :<)

[MelInKansas]

I wanted to add too, that my DD was maybe a little "delayed" or at least learned letters later than a lot of children who have exposure to them do, but now, at 8.5, she is an avid reader and loves to read! Now, when she encounters an unfamiliar word in her reading she does struggle to sound it out carefully, but I am just thankful she loves reading because I think over time her exposure to words, spelling, proper grammar, and everything will be so helpful in learning LA and just in life. I think HOD does such a great job of fostering a love for reading, partially because the introduction to it is so gentle and fun, and the books in all the different programs are such wonderful living books that really capture the hearts and imagination of the kids (and mine too!)

So, that's my extra endorsement to just keep on going, keep it positive, and let your DD grow into it.