Unit 4: The Alphabetic Principle + Learning Your Name

Before children can read, they need to understand one big idea: print says something. In this unit your child will discover that symbols carry messages, that letters are symbols for sounds, and that their own name is made of letters they can find and build. They will also start listening for the first sound in a word.

Symbols come first. Children already read symbols every day. They know a stop sign, a heart, and the sign for their favorite store. Starting here shows them that they already understand the idea behind reading: a mark on a page or a sign can mean something.

Letters are symbols for sounds. Once your child sees that symbols carry meaning, letters become the next kind of symbol. This is the heart of the alphabetic principle. You do not need to teach all the letters yet. You are building the idea that print says something. Show a concrete connection too: point to m, say /mmm/, and say “Moon begins with /mmm/. This letter can stand for that sound.” A picture symbol carries a message; letters and letter groups represent the sounds in spoken words.

The name is a special word. A child's own name is often the first word they recognize. In this unit your child will find their name, build it, and notice the sounds in it. We are not asking your child to write their name here.

First sounds are a bridge. Listening for the first sound in a word helps your child begin to hear the sounds inside spoken words. When you say a sound, say it short and clean, like \"mmm\" for m, without adding \"uh\" at the end.

Go at your child's pace. Some lessons, like the symbol book, can stretch over a few days. Others may take only a few minutes. Repeat any lesson that your child enjoys. You can combine or shorten Lessons 1–4 if your child already understands that symbols carry messages. For example, spot a few symbols, invent one together, and make a short symbol book only if your child wants to. Then move on to letters and names.

If your child can talk about pictures and enjoys playing with you, they are ready for this unit. The activities are hands-on and playful, and you can adjust them to what your child is comfortable with.

If your child already recognizes their name, hears first sounds in words, and understands that print says something, you can move quickly through the unit or move on to the next one. The scavenger hunt and the symbol book are still fun for any age if you want to keep them.