Matching Letters

 I sometimes tutor a four-year-old boy who has just started preschool and is learning to identify the letters of the alphabet. He already knows the letters in his name: E-L-L-I-O-T. He knows a few other letters, like A and X, but we're working on the rest. So I use plastic letters in what I call my "Monster Box," which I have posted about previously. I also have a laminated sheet of construction paper with the alphabet on it. So Elliot has to reach into the box (a decorated tissue box) and pick a letter and say what it is. If he doesn't know, I tell him and have him repeat what I said. Then he has to find the letter on the alphabet board until he has all of the letters filled in. 

Then I have him write the letters of the alphabet (in order, of course😊) and say them as he writes them on special lined paper made for beginning writers. Sometimes he needs my help to write a letter like a W, holding his hand while he holds the pencil, and I describe what I'm doing to write each part of the letter, gently guiding his hand to write it as he follows my directions. 

He recently wrote out the entire alphabet in all capital letters, so I gave him a $5.00 gift card to Walgreens, which I do for my other students when they have their word lists memorized. He was so happy, he wanted to go to the store right then so he could pick out a prize! 

It's nice to see him slowly but surely being able to identify more letters of the alphabet each week that I tutor him.