Suggestions for helping learn ABC's and REMEMBER them?

[badass88gt]

My girlfriend's boy is almost 6, in kindergarten. He's having a very tough time with the basics, he can recite the alphabet but is having trouble writing random letters and remembering anything we teach him. For example, last night, I had him writing upper and lower case A,B,C,and D, he nailed it after while. I figured repetition would be key, pound it in his brain. It worked last night, but tonight he was struggling again.

Does anyone have any sure-fire ways to learn this that worked or helpful suggestions? Thanks-Dan

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

Flashcards ?

[1320PNY]

Seeing as he is 6 and not retaining written letters, you may want to explore how his brain works. Some kids lean towards color, others toward music, some toward associations and some toward images.

So do a combo of everything. Put together some flashcards (26) with each letter. For each letter pick an image "A" is for "Apple". Make the card a sensible color (Crayola has more than 26, so pick enough deviation) like RED for A as in APPLE. While you show him the cards, hit the keys on a cheapo keyboard. I believe you can do this with a laptop online. Then while you're doing ALL that, have him write them down on the paper.

Once you do all 26, 3 times, try just doing one of the triggers. If he responds to just the keyboard, then he's musical... you get the picture.

My cousin was "dumb" for 11 years until we found out he's a friggin' artist. He can draw the coolest stuff and if you show him a picture of anything he remembers every little detail. He could tell you about what time of the day and the date you showed him a picture flawlessly. He remembers everything by images. So when it comes to learning, you have to teach how each person learns, otherwise they get the "label" and they stop trying.

Good luck.

[That_Guy]

write and say the letters at the same time. typically if your write and speak things at the same time over and over your brain is simulated on multiple levels.

i was told this in a class when i need to remember certain items for a test i do this and it works very well

[Car Guy]

This may seem like a stupid question but does he have a healthy diet...???

For example; fruits, vegetables, HEALTHY carbs, lots of water/milk, NO junk food, NO soda.....












.

[badass88gt]

His diet is average I would say. Decent dinner most nights, breakfast every morning, snack after school.

[GRAMPS SS]

i would try asking michelle dan...as she is a teacher and just maybe see can help ya out with something...worth a shot...

[badass88gt]

Yeah, I was thinking of her a little when I wrote this, hoping she has some insight and ideas for us.

[GRAMPS SS]

pm sent to her dan

[moels]

Get that kid out throwing a baseball, get him clocked at 60mph and escalate that as he ages. Make sure he dates smart chicks in school that will do his homework. He will either get signed right outta highschool or at least get college paid for and then maybe the pros. Could be a retirement plan for you as well Danno. :)

You know I'm kidding, and I agree that you have to explore different ways and find out how he likes to learn.

[michelle]

Yeah, I was thinking of her a little when I wrote this, hoping she has some insight and ideas for us.

I'm not as familiar with that age group as probably those that have children of their own, but I will throw in a few suggestions. I definitely like the flashcards idea and you can scramble them up as he progresses (start with them in order as he recites them - like when he sings the alphabet song - and then switch a few around and so on). You could also find/make cards that have pictures that associate with the letter - just so he can work on association and that might help him learn the letters (A is for apple, b is for bear, etc.).

I'm sure his school uses them, but possibly find him some workbooks - like the ones where some letters are stenciled in to begin with and the child writes over the dotted lines to get used to the shape of the letter. They are usually in order in the workbook to get him started.

You could also make a game of it by using the flashcards and scrambling them on the table so he can read each letter and possibly see the picture. Have him put them in order and you could sing the song as you do so. This would probably be best done every night, as with many things and like you said - repetition is key.

You could get a small dry-erase whiteboard and write out a series of letters (i.e. A B C D E F G) and then ask him to circle a particular letter that you say to him. Kids (even my middle school students) love whiteboards and it sure helps my students that are struggling with their adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing fractions to do it on a whiteboard.

You could have two sets of flashcards - ones with the letters on them (both uppercase and lowercase as he may be more familiar with one or the other for each letter) and then ones with a very common picture (like A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for cat, etc.). Have him match them up.

You might have tried those already, but if you need more ideas, let me know. I can consult a few teachers that teach at the lower grade level then I do.

I definitely recommend reading to your child every night and I know there are books out there that are made to help teach the alphabet (I am sure you could ask your local librarian).

Best of luck!

[Prince Valiant]

I'd say to keep the segments small...work on ABC. When he can identify "A" "B" and "C" with regularity, praise him, enjoy the accomplishment....then begin to work on "D", "E", "F" etc...switch it up back with the ABC once he's got DEF, so on and so forth.

Just understand that while kids absorb TONS and pick-up things fairly quickly, it still takes time. Don't work too hard or too long each session either...kids will get bored or frustrated. Keep it short, sweet, and fun. Mix it up with various approaches from flashcards, to (as michelle writes) writing and him pointing/circling, to singing, to the magnet alphabets (like the ones you get for refrigerators).

[BigBadGTA]

I ****** love your avatar badass88gt

[badass88gt]

Thanks Michelle. We do almost all of that daily, his mom reads to him before bed, we have flash cards, we use the dry erase board, all of those. He will learn it that day, but he is not remembering it the next day.

My sister is an 8th grade English teacher in the Atlanta area, she is gonna ask around also.


Wayno, why are you kidding? Thats one of the best ideas Ive heard yet.

Thanks to everyone who has given ideas.

[michelle]

Now don't take this the wrong way, but has he been checked for a learning disability? I have seen quite a few students that have fallen through the cracks and if they would have received help at a young age, they would be able to read at higher then a 1st grade level when they are in middle school.

I'll ask around for a few other suggestions from those that teach the younger grades.

[lordairgtar]

I like your approach in finding help for your GFs son. Keep doing what you are doing, I think it will click in him eventually. I had the same trouble when I was a lad, but my father used a whole different approach to try and make me get good grades. Not good for me.

[TransAm12sec]

Have him break down the alphabet, remember a certain length of it, and see if he can remember that part the next day. Also have a rewards system.