The English alphabet and letter sounds with children

When you teach children the English alphabet, show that each letter has two faces: its name (A is said “ay”) and the sound it makes in words (the “a” in apple). Practising both separately and through play helps children say the alphabet and get ready to read words.

Letter names differ from Turkish

Most English letter names are said differently from Turkish: A is “ay”, E is “ee”, I is “eye”, J is “jay”, W is “double-u”, Y is “why”. If your child already knows the Turkish alphabet, turning a few of these differences into a game reduces confusion.

The alphabet song

The alphabet song is the easiest way to learn the letter names in order. Singing it at the same moment each day, for example while brushing teeth, helps the order stick. It helps to also say the fast “L, M, N, O, P” part slowly on its own.

Letter sounds: one letter a day

Choose one letter each day and find three things that start with its sound: for B, ball, book, banana. Stretch the first sound a little as you say the word (“b-b-ball”). This makes it easier for the child to hear the sound at the start of the word.

A letter hunt at home

Look for the letter of the day on book covers, packaging, and toy boxes. Let your child point to it and say its name and sound: “This is B. B says /b/.” Keep it short; five minutes is enough to finish before they get bored.

Capital and small letters

Write capital and small letters on cards and play a matching game: A with a, B with b. Letters such as b, d, p, and q look alike; practising them on different days rather than together reduces mix-ups.

To keep going, see First English words for children: colours, numbers, animals, and the body and Reading English picture books with children.

Frequently asked questions

Should children learn letter names or letter sounds first? Both can go side by side: names through the song, sounds through daily games. Sounds help more when getting ready to read.

What if my child mixes up Turkish and English letters? That is natural. Replay the few letters that sound different through games, and don't practise easily confused letters on the same day.