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Monday, April 1, 2013

A is for Alphabet

I've been trying to teach my son the alphabet.  He doesn't know it now but the alphabet will open the wonders of the world. Think about it, almost every civilization, once it got going, created some sort of written communication, either pictures or words. They do this because so much can be accomplished with it.

How much do those 26 little letters affect your life?  Not only reading and writing, but road signs, food labels, price tags, instructions, learning.  So much or our world revolves around the alphabet.  26 little squiggles that don't mean anything other than the meaning we give them, yet they change our world.

I think I've been taking the alphabet for granted.  But trying to teach my son, and trying to tell him why it matters, and how it will help his life has opened my eyes.  I love the Alphabet.

36 comments:

  1. Yep me too. Now if I just remember how all those little squiggles to spell correctly, I'd be in good shape. LOL

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    1. You're getting there and I think your spelling is probably still better than mine!

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  2. My kids and I had a great time learning the alphabet by song. I found a couple on youtube for kids that got their attention. (:

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  3. That's a fun time with your son. I loved reading alphabet books to my daughter.

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  4. I think a lot of us take the alphabet (as well as reading and writing) for granted. How strange is it that just 26 characters can make up our entire language?

    I've never really thought much about it but, when I do, it seems a little overwhelming!

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    1. It can be overwhelming for people starting out, but the reward is so great.

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  5. I love the alphabet, too. I guess that's why I taught first grade so many years.
    Jenn @Scribbles From Jenn

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    1. I didn't know you taught first grade. How fun.

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  6. Great start, Spesh! I love the _history_ of how our alphabet developed, but then, I'm a retired World History teacher, so are you surprised? ; )

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  7. It truly is amamzing. Twenty-six letters (and ten numbers I suppose too) :-) do open the world.

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  8. I taught my daughter how to read, too. That was one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done.

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  9. I don't think about alphabet much until I look at other alphabets that use different characters than the A-Z that are familiar to me. Language is amazing!

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    1. Learning a foreign language does help illustrate how amazing, and frustrating, language can be. I try to keep that in mind and not get impatient with my kids.

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  10. We do tend to take the alphabet for granted... maybe because we can read and write!
    Place yourself in the shoes of an illiterate adult who is just learning to read/write from scratch... then the 26 letters become a magical thing!

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    1. I once sat next to someone who was asked to read a scripture at church. She stumbled over the words and had to ask me for help three times. But afterwords she leaned over to me and with her face beaming said "I'm teaching myself to read" Never have I seen such joy, and never will I forget it.

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  11. I'm so glad that I'm past all of that!! *sigh* :)

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    1. I'm trying to enjoy it while it's hear but I know I'll feel the same when I'm past it.

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  12. What a great way to begin the A-Z Challenge!
    Say, have you seen the Choo Choo Soul Alphabet song? My niece and nephew love it!

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  13. I recall my sons watching Sesame Street and one of their favorite segments was when the program featured the big letter of the day.

    Wishing you the best with the alphabet lessons; it may seem like a simple task, but it is so important.

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  14. I'd say the alphabet is pretty important :D I think I've taken it for granted too. We obviously would not get very far in life without it.

    Great start to A-Z!

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  15. If we hadn't invented letters we'd probably still be grunting at each other!

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  16. It's hard to remember a time when I _didn't_ understand the alphabet. It's such a powerful thing that I take for granted every day. Thanks for the reminder of how amazing it really is! :)

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    1. One of my earliest memories is trying to copy words my mother had written. It is a powerful thing, and when we understand it we have power too.

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  17. My son had an electronic alphabet desktop toy he was obsessed with. It helped solidify the alphabet in his sponge of a mind. Then I bought him flashcards and he learned how to read as he turned 3 years old!

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  18. It's such a challenge! But it's rewarding!

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    1. And the reward is definitely worth the challenge.

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  19. Such a logical choice to start the challenge! Brilliant! Good luck with all the instruction. It's an investment that will pay off for the rest of his life.

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  20. Literacy is such an important skill to have. Good for you, Mom, for getting your son off to the right start!

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    1. Thanks, I'm sure I'll need it. He's interested in learning but little sister couldn't care less. She'll be the hard one.

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  21. A perfect start to the challenge!
    Connie
    I'm visiting from the A to Z Blog Challenge
    Peanut Butter and Whine

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  22. Teaching your children helps bring back the true wonders of little things. I hope you both have a blast! We've been working on letters and I never knew the joy that those 26 little scribbles could bring.

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  23. Some of the most proud moments I had as an aunt is to hear my nephews say the alphabet for the first time with no mistakes. It brightens my day and makes me smile big.
    Words are pretty much a part of everything we do. There's alwasy something to be read. What would we do without words, without 26 little squiggles?

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  24. That's great if he's ready for it. My son already knows his letters. Okay, so the kid is 25 years old, but he knows the alphabet. ;)

    Stopping by from A-Z. Please visit my humor blog.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  25. Although I don't have children, I am constantly fascinated by the sponge-like capacity of their brains and ability to learn new concepts like the alphabet.

    Happy to be sharing the A to Z challenge with you!
    http://mydestinationunknown.com

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  26. I do think about words a lot. Go figure. I'm a writer. But lately I've been wishing I could speak another language fluently. That would be kewl.

    It's been a long time since my children first learned their ABCs. Now I'm happy to watch my grandchildren learning.

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