Key Definitions Related to the Alphabet in English
Because alphabet knowledge must be explicitly taught( Dougherty Stahl 2014), children’ s skill level depends on their exposure. It is appropriate to see variability in children’ s mastery of the alphabet, particularly in preschool. Some 4-year-olds will be able to recognize and name a few letters in their own names, whereas others may be able to recognize and name 10 or more letters, including and extending beyond those in their names. These general understandings give way to more complex interactions with written text as 4-year-olds begin to learn how letters represent sounds and how sounds are represented by letters( Lambert 2020).
Following are definitions of some key emergent-literacy concepts.
› Letter recognition: In English, letter recognition requires knowing 26 letter names and 43 letter shapes( accounting for upper and lower cases). Letter recognition can be complicated by letter names that may sound alike( B, P, T, D) and letter shapes that may look alike( h, n, u, m or b, p, d, q)( Hoffman & Whittingham, forthcoming).
› Alphabetic principle: The understanding that alphabet letters represent spoken sounds in a systematic way( Wright et al. 2022). Because letters are abstract shapes that convey no inherent meaning, the connection between the letter and its sound must be explicitly taught. Each language presents its own challenges when learning letter names and letter sounds, and these differences are compounded for young children who are learning two alphabets simultaneously( Hoffman & Whittingham, forthcoming).
› Letter-sound association: The ability to recall accurately and quickly the correct letter associated with a sound and the correct sound associated with a letter. Once children understand that the letters of the alphabet predictably represent specific sounds associated with each letter, they can begin to apply their knowledge of these relationships to learn letter combinations and spelling( that is, connecting units of sound to the letter or set of letters in print). Children can then apply this knowledge to both familiar and unfamiliar words to accurately decode( Lindsey 2022).
› Phonological awareness: The ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken language. The units of sound heard in English are( from largest to smallest): words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and phonemes. It is generally accepted that there are 44 phonemes in the English language, but because language is socially constructed and contextually bound, there will always be some level of variability in our understanding of any language system( Lindsey 2022).
› Print concepts: The orienting skills used by a reader to make meaning of written text. The conventions for recording language in writing vary culturally and must be explicitly taught. For example, in English, text is read from left to right and from top to bottom. Spaces between letters indicate words, and punctuation is used to indicate the end of a sentence( Clay 1989).
“ the State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language... in the public schools”( Article X, Section 4). Thanks to the tireless efforts of our kūpuna( elders) and advocates, the broader Hawaiian language-immersion movement, and other Hawaiian language supporters, today there are an estimated 10,000 speakers of‘ Ōlelo Hawai‘ i— a number that is continually growing.
Effective practice involves integrating and affirming local languages through early literacy instruction. This is essential in communities where language affirmation and reclamation goals are at play: Children learn more when literacy instruction is conducted in culturally compatible rather than culturally incompatible ways( Au & Mason 1981; Au & Mason 1983). Integrating and affirming who keiki are and what keiki know are not optional add-ons to high-quality early literacy instruction. They are high-quality early literacy instruction.
In the sections that follow, we describe the steps we took to create realistic, practical alphabet resources that included‘ Ōlelo Hawai‘ i where possible to
Summer 2025 Young Children 19