Dr.

Best Learn to Read

Learning the
English Alphabet
Activity Book and Teaching Guide
By Urmila Devi-Dasi • Illustrated by Madhava Priya Dasi

This program is designed to be used with the 2007 edition © 2010 Padma Inc., Hillsborough, NC, USA. All rights reserved.
of Letters and Sounds, available for free download from This book may be copied and distributed within a single family or classroom only.
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk or www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications; Any other reproduction or distribution of this book requires specific permission.
email: [email protected]; phone: +44 (0)845-60-222-60 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  Printed in the United Kingdom

Goal of this book goals. You can go through this book more than
once. You can also repeatedly go through your
The goal of this book is for children to have in-
environment and ask the children to find in-
stant recognition of all the names of all the letters
stances of various letters. Repeat, repeat, and re-
in the English alphabet, both upper case (capital
peat! Make it into a fun game to find each of the
letters) and lower case (small letters). This book
English letters. There are also many commercial
is not designed to teach the sounds of the letters,
alphabet programs, and for children who con-
but only their names. Children should know two
tinue to struggle we suggest that you use these
things by the end of this book: 1) the order of the
repeatedly until the children have mastered these
letters and 2) the names of each of the letters out
two knowledge areas.
of order.

How to tell if a child has achieved the goal When to Use this Book
of this book If you are using Guided Reading or Inductive
Children should demonstrate knowledge of the Whole-word Phonics, we suggest that children
order of the letters by singing an alphabet song, master the two knowledge areas of this book be-
and by being able to arrange magnetic letters, fore starting a formal reading program. If you are
or letters drawn on cards, in the proper order. using Synthetic Phonics, this book can be used
Children should demonstrate knowledge of the anytime of your choosing before beginning Phase
letter names out of order by correctly identifying Four. Most teachers who use Synthetic Phonics
the names of both capital and small letters when like to teach letter names and alphabet order af-
shown on cards in any order. They should also be ter children have mastered the basic letter sounds,
able to identify letter names when seeing those which would be at about the end of Phase Two.
letters in words in books, on labels, on signs, and
other places in their environment. This book has been designed for children who are
at least 4½–5 years old. If younger children use
For some children, this book and the suggested it, they may not be able to do all of the activities
activities will be insufficient to achieve these without a lot of extra help.

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 Section One: The alphabet in order up and show them quickly to the children. Any
(beginning level) card a child correctly identifies is put in one
pile. Incorrectly identified cards are shuffled and
Children should point to the letters while they
shown again. Children can do this in pairs, and
sing an alphabet song. You might also want to
small prizes or some sort of acknowledgement
have very large letters, in order, on display in the
(such as stars drawn on a chart) can be given to
classroom. You can point to them as the children
children to improve their personal score. It is es-
are singing. Repeat at least three times a day un-
sential that the letters are shown in random order
til the children know this by heart. Then review
(not alphabetical order)
(revise) twice a week for two weeks, then once a
week for four months, then once a month for a
“Memory” game—The aim of this game is for chil-
year.
dren to match capital and small letters. Mix up
Section Two: Recognizing individual letter the cards and put them face down on the floor,
names (beginning level) a table, or some other surface. Each child takes
a turn. When it is a child’s turn, he or she turns
Point to the letters while children say the name of two cards over face up. If it is a pair of matching
the letter. Ask children to find the letters hidden capital and small letters, the child says that letter
in the picture, saying the name of the letter each name out loud, and puts those cards next to him
time they find one. It is essential that children say or her. That child then can keep taking another
the letter name out loud each time. turn as long as the cards match and the child can
say the letter name. As soon as the cards don’t
Extension of recognizing individual letter names: match or the child cannot say the letter name for
Have the children find letters around them and matching cards, it is the turn of the next child
say the name of the letter once they find it. They and the two non-matching cards are turned face-
can look in books, on labels, and on signs. You down again. The game is played until there are no
can also ask the children to find particular letters more cards—until all the cards are in individual
(“Who can find a p?”). There can be small prizes piles next to a child. Whoever has the most cards
for children who find the most instances of that wins.
letter. It is essential that children say the letter
name out loud each time they find a letter. Note: You can paste the page on heavier stock
paper or cardboard before cutting out the letter
Section Three: The alphabet in order cards. You can also enlarge the page first before
(intermediate level) and Matching Capital cutting out the cards.
and Small Letters (beginning level)
Children complete dot-to-dot pictures by joining Extension: Advanced Use of Section Two
the lines in the order of the letters. It is essen- You can use Section Two to have children find
tial that children say the letter names out loud as objects in the picture which begin with the let-
they do this. ter sounds. There are objects in each picture that
begin with several different sounds of each letter,
Section Four: Matching Capital and Small
so this activity is most suitable for children to do
Letters (intermediate level)
after they have completed Phase Five of the read-
Photocopy and cut out the alphabet cards. First ing program. Some children may be ready for this
use them as “flash cards” where you mix them sooner.

2 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Section One: Sing the alphabet in order

Aa Bb Cc Dd
Ee Ff Gg
Hh Ii Jj Kk
Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp
Qq Rr Ss
Tt Uu Vv
Ww Xx Yy Zz
Learning the English Alphabet 3
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 Section Two: Find the hidden letters

Aa

Bb

4 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Cc

Dd

Learning the English Alphabet 5

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 Ee

Ff

6 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Gg

Hh

Learning the English Alphabet 7

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 Ii

Jj

8 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Kk

Ll

Learning the English Alphabet 9

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 Mm

Nn

10 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Oo

Pp

Learning the English Alphabet 11

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 Qq

Rr

12 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Ss

Tt

Learning the English Alphabet 13

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 Uu

Vv

14 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Ww

Xx

Learning the English Alphabet 15

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 Yy

Zz

16 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Section Three: Match capital and small letters;
Connect the dots to complete the pictures

D c
A f
C d
B a
E e
F b

Notes for parents and teachers: The children should draw lines to match capital letter to
lower case letter. Then they should connect the dots to create a picture by going in alphabetical order,
with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the capital letters, and then go
in order again with the small letters.

Learning the English Alphabet 17

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 H l
K m
J g
M h
G j
I k
L i

Notes for parents and teachers: The children should draw lines to match capital letter to
lower case letter. Then they should connect the dots to create a picture by going in alphabetical order,
with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the capital letters, and then go
in order again with the small letters.

18 Learning the English Alphabet

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 T q
O s
R p
P t
S o
N r
Q n

Notes for parents and teachers: The children should draw lines to match capital letter to
lower case letter. Then they should connect the dots to create a picture by going in alphabetical order,
with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the capital letters, and then go
in order again with the small letters.

Learning the English Alphabet 19

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 Y v
U y
V x
Z w
X u
W z

Notes for parents and teachers: The children should draw lines to match capital letter to
lower case letter. Then they should connect the dots to create a picture by going in alphabetical order,
with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the capital letters, and then go
in order again with the small letters.

20 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Notes for parents and teachers: The children should connect the dots to create a picture by
going in alphabetical order, with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the
capital letters, and then go in order again with the small letters.

Learning the English Alphabet 21

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 Notes for parents and teachers: The children should connect the dots to create a picture by
going in alphabetical order, with capital letters and small letters. They should first go in order with the
capital letters, and then go in order again with the small letters.

22 Learning the English Alphabet

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 Section Four: Alphabet cards

k l m n o p
p
a b c d e
f g h i j
o
e

j
d

n
i

m
h
c

g
b

l
a

k
f

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 8/9/2010 2:50:44 AM
© 2010 Padma Inc.
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™

Alphabet Activity Book.indd 24

Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™
 C D E F G H
w x y z A B
q r s t u v

H
B
v

G
A
u

F
z
t

E
y
s

D
x
r

C
q

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 8/9/2010 2:51:02 AM
© 2010 Padma Inc.
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™

Alphabet Activity Book.indd 26

Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™
 I J K L M N
O P Q R S T
U VWX Y Z
N

Z
T
M

Y
S

X
R
L

W
Q
K

V
P
J

U
I

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 8/9/2010 2:51:21 AM
© 2010 Padma Inc.
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™
Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™

Alphabet Activity Book.indd 28

Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best Dr. Best
Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™ Learn to reaD™