How to teach the alphabet - Portugal

[mundosdevida]

Hello! We are a Portuguese group of teachers that has atended the sisters workshop in Chicago. Now that we are back and trying to implemente this system in our classrooms, there are some remaining doubts. Because of the Portuguese Curriculum, our students learn all the alphabet letters, souns and writing, at fist grade. We have to teach letters seperatly (we start with I and then, when they now how to identify it and how to write it, we move on to A, for exemple). So our doubt is: Do you teach the alphabet (how to read and draw the leter) inside you literacy block and, more specificly, inside the Daily 5 routine, or are we only talking about a Reading and understanding block?

We would really apreciate your help!

Many tks from Portugal!

[srea]

Olá, bom dia!

How wonderful that you got to attend the Sisters workshop in Chicago. I’m sure you caught the fire from their enthusiasm.

In the States, our Kindergarteners (5yr olds) mostly learn the alphabet (name, sounds, writing) but what we call our first grade still has some students that need to refine them.

If you look at the Emergent CAFE menu (used with those still learning those pre-reading skills), you’ll see that Recognizing both the uppercase and lowercase letters are listed under the Fluency section. Writing the letters would be a writing skill you might work on in your Writing workshop, but they certainly could be practiced in your Word Work time in Daily 5.

By the way, the use of the emergent CAFE is really for teacher knowledge, you certainly could move those strategies to the “regular” CAFE menu as needed.

We are glad you are joining in this journey!