Knowing the letters again

Two years ago, more or less, Mati started to recognize the letters of the alphabet. We did many activities together to practice the sounds of the letters, capitals and lowercase, and finally, to put letters together and get words. Now, I'm starting the same process with Pao.

Some weeks ago, I introduced the vowels, and little by little he begins to recognize them and to be interested about the sounds of each word. I try to catch his attention to the words' initials. Suddenly, I ask him questions like: "Pao, what's the initial sound of your name?... yes!, it's /p/, and, what's the initial sound of dad?... yes! it's also /p/ (in Spanish)" After that, he alone starts to ask us: "mom, what's the sound of grandma Cuca?" 

Today, we did an activity that I prepared for Mati so long ago. I gathered pictures of different people and objects which are familiar to him. Then, I arranged them on a table of Word alphabetically by their initials. I left an empty box beside and then I printed them. I calculated the size so that in that empty box could fit a letter from a set of magnetic letters that I have. I did it thinking in using it on the refrigerator.  I plasticized the sheets and put them on the refrigerator with tape, so that the kid could put in and off the letters on their right place.

Pao doesn't know the letters yet, but today I introduced the sounds with these illustrations. We were telling what word was in each photo and then we thought of the beginning sound. Then, I *presented* that letter. After that, we were playing on the computer for a while. I really like this site and I recommend it:  www.literacycenter.net

It's very simple, and there are not many interesting activities for older children, but it's excellent for little ones like Pao, who are still learning how to control the mouse and recognize the letters and numbers.

I use it as my "blackboard" or my "flashcards" Today I told him to pass the letters and repeat the names as he listened to them.  He stayed interested because the mouse thing is new for him, and besides, the letters are also new for him. He told me what each letter "looks like". P is a gun; T is a tower and Q is a piece of cheese… the first time I passed through this process with Mati was exciting, and this second time is being very different from the first time, but it's very exciting too! My two sons are very different, but I love to see how they discover new things and how they arrive to their own conclusions.