All about the letter
The Alphabetic Principle | Reading Rockets
Not knowing letter names is related to children's difficulty in learning letter sounds and in recognizing words. Children cannot understand and apply the alphabetic principle (understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds) until they can recognize and name a number of letters.
Children whose alphabetic knowledge is not well developed when they start school need sensibly organized instruction that will help them identify, name, and write letters. Once children are able to identify and name letters with ease, they can begin to learn letter sounds and spellings.
Children appear to acquire alphabetic knowledge in a sequence that begins with letter names, then letter shapes, and finally letter sounds. Children learn letter names by singing songs such as the "Alphabet Song," and by reciting rhymes. They learn letter shapes as they play with blocks, plastic letters, and alphabetic books. Informal but planned instruction in which children have many opportunities to see, play with, and compare letters leads to efficient letter learning. This instruction should include activities in which children learn to identify, name, and write both upper case and lower case versions of each letter.
What is the "alphabetic principle"?
Children's reading development is dependent on their understanding of the alphabetic principle – the idea that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language. Learning that there are predictable relationships between sounds and letters allows children to apply these relationships to both familiar and unfamiliar words, and to begin to read with fluency.
The goal of phonics instruction is to help children to learn and be able to use the Alphabetic Principle. The alphabetic principle is the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Phonics instruction helps children learn the relationships between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.
Two issues of importance in instruction in the alphabetic principle are the plan of instruction and the rate of instruction.
The alphabetic principle plan of instruction
- Teach letter-sound relationships explicitly and in isolation.
- Provide opportunities for children to practice letter-sound relationships in daily lessons.
- Provide practice opportunities that include new sound-letter relationships, as well as cumulatively reviewing previously taught relationships.
- Give children opportunities early and often to apply their expanding knowledge of sound-letter relationships to the reading of phonetically spelled words that are familiar in meaning.
Rate and sequence of instruction
No set rule governs how fast or how slow to introduce letter-sound relationships. One obvious and important factor to consider in determining the rate of introduction is the performance of the group of students with whom the instruction is to be used.
Furthermore, there is no agreed upon order in which to introduce the letter-sound relationships. It is generally agreed, however, that the earliest relationships introduced should be those that enable children to begin reading words as soon as possible. That is, the relationships chosen should have high utility. For example, the spellings m, a, t, s, p, and h are high utility, but the spellings x as in box, gh, as in through, ey as in they, and a as in want are of lower utility.
It is also a good idea to begin instruction in sound-letter relationships by choosing consonants such as f, m, n, r, and s, whose sounds can be pronounced in isolation with the least distortion. Stop sounds at the beginning or middle of words are harder for children to blend than are continuous sounds.
Instruction should also separate the introduction of sounds for letters that are auditorily confusing, such as /b/ and /v/ or /i/ and /e/, or visually confusing, such as b and d or p and g.
Instruction might start by introducing two or more single consonants and one or two short vowel sounds. It can then add more single consonants and more short vowel sounds, with perhaps one long vowel sound. It might next add consonant blends, followed by digraphs (for example, th, sh, ch), which permits children to read common words such as this, she, and chair. Introducing single consonants and consonant blends or clusters should be introduced in separate lessons to avoid confusion.
The point is that the order of introduction should be logical and consistent with the rate at which children can learn. Furthermore, the sound-letter relationships chosen for early introduction should permit children to work with words as soon as possible.
Many teachers use a combination of instructional methods rather than just one. Research suggests that explicit, teacher-directed instruction is more effective in teaching the alphabetic principle than is less-explicit and less-direct instruction.
Guidelines for rate and sequence of instruction
- Recognize that children learn sound-letter relationships at different rates.
- Introduce sound-letter relationships at a reasonable pace, in a range from two to four letter-sound relationships a week.
- Teach high-utility letter-sound relationships early.
- Introduce consonants and vowels in a sequence that permits the children to read words quickly.
- Avoid the simultaneous introduction of auditorily or visually similar sounds and letters.
- Introduce single consonant sounds and consonant blends/clusters in separate lessons.
- Provide blending instruction with words that contain the letter-sound relationships that children have learned.
All About the Letter N ( Letter of the Week N ) by Kindergarten Kristy
Do you teach a letter a week or review all the letters of the alphabet in your class? If so, then this is the perfect packet of Letter N activities for you and your students.
Included in this packet are a variety of differentiated activities. If you purchase all the letter packets or the bundle, you will notice that all activities are repeated in each packet. This will help the students become more independent the more letter packets they complete.
This packet focuses only on the letter N.
→ Letter N activities included in this packet are: ←
★ Color Me Capital letter block option with a design on the inside. Lower case letter option #1 has phonics pictures that begin with the letter and option #2 has phonics pictures on the inside of the picture that are labeled. You can print your lower case letter option on the back of the capital letter picture to save paper.
★ All About the Letter Trace the capital letters and the lower case letters. Room to practice the letter and a section to circle all of the letters.
★ Capital or Lower Case? Cut and paste the letters into the correct box.
All the letters are different fonts.
★ Sort the Pictures Cut and paste the pictures into the correct box. Does the picture begin with the sound or not?
★ Color by Code Color the hidden capital letter by coloring the lower case letters one color and the capital letters another color according to the color code. Each letter in the picture is a different font.
★ Trace It Trace the pictures and the name of the picture.
★ Beginning Sounds Cut and glue the pictures that begin with the sound of the week on to the capital letter.
★ I Know All About the Letter Cut and paste the pictures that begin with the sound, in the boxes.
★ N is for Nest Glue the pictures that begin with /n/ in the nest.
★ Letter BookGlue the pictures that begin with the sound to the inside of the letter book.
★ Letter Flip Flap Book Cut and paste the letters under the correct flap to sort capital and lower case letters.
The flip flap book can be glue to the inside of an interactive notebook or on a piece of construction paper.
★ Alphabet Foldable Book *NO SCISSORS REQUIRED* This foldable book requires no scissors or glue. Simply fold on the lines and follow the directions on each page.
★ Write The Room Cards Six cards (color and black and white options available) along with 3 different differentiated options for recording sheets included.
★ Puzzles 8 different puzzles perfect for independent centers. 4 puzzles are capital and lower case match and 4 puzzles are letter and picture match.
★ Posters Lower case letter poster with two options: 1- phonics pictures fill the letter 2- phonics pictures are labeled
★ Letter Cards 4 cards (1/4 of an 8.5x11 page) of the lower case letter with colorful pictures that are labeled.
★ Tracing/Dough Mats 8.5x11 mats included: Tracing mat, Dough Mat, Dab the Letter Mat
★ Letter Crown Students make a letter crown by coloring and gluing pictures on a sentence strip.
(directions included)
★ Letter Crafts Students color the letter animal & header and can either cut around the animal and glue to construction paper or just color the page without cutting it out. Capital and lower case letter animal included.
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Each letter of the alphabet can be purchased individually or save A LOT of money and purchase the bundle!
♥ Alphabet BUNDLE ♥
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♦ H
♦ I
♦ J
♦ K
♦ L
♦ M
♦ N
♦ O
♦ P
♦ Q
♦ R
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♦ U
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♦ X
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♦ A-Z Review
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How handwritten letters help us through hard times
- Melissa Bunigan
- BBC Travel
Photo copyright, Melissa Banigan
Photo caption,The author's grandparents experienced a love affair exclusively by correspondence - during World War II
Handwriting a letter and receiving the same in return can be a balm for the soul amid cacophony the world around us, consisting of unpleasant news, frightening statistics and social media misinformation.
If no one writes to you, find the old front-line letters from your grandfather (or great-grandfather) and reread them. You will not regret.
Like many other lovers during the Second World War, my American grandparents' romance proceeded exclusively by correspondence - from the beginning of courtship in 1944 until the telegram that my grandmother received a year and a half later: "LOVE WILL BE HOME FOR BREAKFAST KISS JIN."
Although the letters that my grandmother wrote to her future husband were lost forever, she kept the letters of her grandfather until her death in 2005.
My cousin Brooke inherited a box of them. In 2014, she also died. After that, her mother sent them to me in Brooklyn.
Before finally reaching my hands, the letters had to travel for half a century - through two countries, across the ocean. They outlived many of the people I loved with all my heart. And it would not be an exaggeration to say that these letters are my most precious family heirloom.
I cried when I read them for the first time. During the previous ten years, I had lost several family members and friends to illness or accidents, and I myself once played with death, bedridden in intensive care due to sepsis caused by pneumonia.
The letters arrived just as I was slowly recovering. I started reading and was amazed.
Despite the dark cloud of war hanging over the lovers, despite the distance that separated them, grandfather's letters were full of funny front-line stories, humor, hope and love.
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They turned out to be the balm that my aching soul needed so much. Written in his beautiful handwriting, they brought me back to life.
Since then, five years have passed, and I again found myself locked in the walls of my apartment. This time, like billions of people around the world, because of the need to contain the spread of the dangerous coronavirus.
During the first week of self-isolation, I binge read the news and closely followed social media to see how my friends and relatives were doing. Some acquaintances began to talk about their loved ones who had died or were confined to a ventilator. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that the virus is spreading across the state "faster than a bullet train."
And soon my nerves were on edge due to the ongoing onslaught of harsh reality, frightening statistics and disinformation.
And I again turned to my grandfather's front-line letters - this time trying to use them to cope with my growing anxiety every day.
Photo copyright, Melissa Banigan
Photo caption,Mary and Eugene (Jean) Banigan were married on August 29, 1945
"Social media is a double-edged sword," psychotherapist Roberta Borden Wilson later told me. They help to keep in touch with the outside world, she explained, but at the same time they force communication every minute, a quick response, leaving no time to filter out negative posts.
Negative feelings can trigger the release of stress hormones in our brains, which increase blood pressure, increase anxiety, increase depression, which can even lead to substance abuse and addiction.
All this makes us more susceptible to contracting the virus, warns Borden Wilson.
I was almost certain that it was social media that increased my pressure, and rereading my grandfather's letters from the front helped me to tame my anxiety a little.
The hard world around me began to soften and melt as I read the following lines, written in the middle of 1945 in Joigny, France, southeast of Paris, when my grandfather was 22 years old.
"My dearest, beloved Mary. Lying on my bed, from time to time I glance out the window, behind which opens a wide field with a canal and a river. Now it looks so peaceful that it is impossible even to think that only a year ago on this battles were fought on the ground. The grass is green and the trees in the neighboring forest are tall and strong. The evening sun illuminates the pale blue sky with its rays. The narrow path along the canal seems to be intended for lovers like you and me. "
I asked Borden Wilson if the feeling of peace and tranquility that I experienced while reading my grandfather's letter was due to the fact that it was written by hand and if there is a difference in reading and writing such letters from social media posts.
Photo copyright, Melissa Banigan
Photo caption,Heirloom letters full of hope and love
"Absolutely," she replied. "Writing by hand triggers what we call mindfulness in psychotherapy." When we take up a pen, we begin to think more analytically, we treat what we write more thoughtfully, we do it more meaningfully.
This process makes us bring out the best in ourselves and encourage others. And we don't get into the social media verbal diarrhoea."
My grandfather was an American army sergeant, a paratrooper who jumped from planes during the war in France. His friends were scattered throughout the theaters of war, from the Pacific to the European. And he didn't even know if he would ever return home to his beloved.0011
"I love you so much that I feel at one with you. I want to make plans for my life with you. Someday, if my dreams come true, I will ask you to be my wife."
The phenomenon of front-line letters does not belong exclusively to World War II.
A couple of years ago I visited the Verdun Memorial ("The Verdun Meat Grinder", the Battle of Verdun, one of the biggest battles of the First World War, lasted from 1916 to 1918), a museum in northeastern France.
Set in the pastoral countryside that was once a bloody battlefield, this museum is filled with guns, uniforms and field artillery. However, what struck me most of all were the personal belongings that the soldiers never parted with, carrying them close to their hearts, and the letters they wrote in the trenches to their loved ones.
- Juliet's Club. "I answer love letters from all over the world"
- Handwriting is dying... Will it die?
I spoke to Nicolas Chubak, head of the education and information section of the exhibition in Verdun, about these letters. Regardless of their background and social status, "all soldiers and their families confronted the terrible reality of war.
And yet optimism, hope for life and even humor - that's what we find in their letters," Chubak told me.
Letters were a way for the soldiers to "show that they can do something other than destroy enemy soldiers," he stressed. "It helped distract them from the horrors of war."
Chubak believes wartime letters teach us patience and give us the hope and confidence we need to face the most difficult circumstances.
"A serious danger hangs over us now," he says. "But we need to keep a cool head and keep everything in perspective, not forgetting what people who went through the First and Second World Wars had to endure."
Photo by Melissa Banigan
Photo captionThe author of this article was with his grandparents as a child. 1976
Like Borden Wilson, Chewback believes that writing letters makes a person more consciously share their thoughts with others: "When you write a letter, you can take your time, pause, think.
You are not in a hurry to react to what just happened, thus avoiding the spread of panic and fake news."
Rereading my grandfather's letters clarified for me what I was missing in social networks. My grandfather is remembered by many as a difficult person, but his letters demonstrate his generosity and modesty.
He tried to be the best, but he didn't pretend to be the best. And he followed the advice given to his students by many great writers: show, don't tell.
Grandfather showed his future wife the world through his eyes. He wrote to her about sunsets, describing the canals, the wide fields, the trees rising up into the clear blue sky. This world was ready to open like a beautiful flower bud, right in her palms.
This is what American infantryman and historian Paul Fussell said about the letters of World War II, and his thoughts are still relevant today: “Letters were a huge comfort. And mail was vital. We would not have won the war without it.
Letters were incredibly important as a motivator for the troops. The message of the incoming mail each time gave rise to delight. "
My grandfather's letters inspired me to write my own letters. Like his, mine didn't offer anything particularly educational, nothing particularly intelligent. They were simply a way to keep in touch with family and friends during these dark times in human history, they muted the cacophony of digital communications.
Social networks are somewhat like God - they are omnipresent, they are everywhere. But this property of them suppresses the good feelings that we experience. Letters, on the other hand, capture the most human moments of our lives and leave them in eternity for posterity. It is at such moments that I feel closest to friends and loved ones and feel a glimpse of the divine.
Photo copyright Melissa Banigan
Photo captionLetters are a way to keep in touch with family and friends during these dark times in human history
What lessons do we hope our descendants will learn from our difficult times?
Some doctors and politicians are comparing the fight against the virus to fighting an invisible enemy, and I wonder how Mary and Eugene Bunigan would respond to the recent statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said that the current global health crisis is the most serious since World War II.
I spent many hours on my grandfather's front-line letters, and I suspect that in our time he would write about the love that he and his grandmother feel for each other, so that later he would use this love as a reliable support in life - regardless of what lies ahead.
I don't have all the answers, but I hope that future generations will remember that there are millions of ways to support each other - instead of being smart and chastising each other on social media.
I always keep this in mind when I write to someone. My handwritten letters serve the simple purpose of interrupting for a moment the heaviness of disease and death around us and filling our world with simple stories about what I cook for dinner and about the beautiful world that I see outside the window.
I look forward to the day when I mark the end of the coronavirus crisis with a letter similar to my grandfather's telegram: "LOVES WILL BE HOME FOR BREAKFAST.
"
In the meantime, letters like the one I sent this morning to my mother and stepfather should suffice:
"Dear Mom and Alan, I'm looking out my window at the Verrazano-Narrows bridge connecting my Brooklyn to Staten Island. And I imagine that my letter is the same bridge that allows my words to cross the space from my small apartment to yours living room in Rhode Island.
--
You can read the original English version of this article on the BBC Travel website.
21 examples of how to start a letter to get warm leads
Ideas
What to write to be read and answered
Editor's Note
We've translated an article from the TeamWave blog about how to start emails so they'll be opened and read. The text mainly describes approaches for b2b, where the cost and average check of each client is quite high.
An example of a letter that will be sent to the shopping cart
Hello Anton!
This is Ivan Petrov from Amazing Company, and we offer innovative social media solutions for growing companies.
And this letter immediately flies to the "Deleted Items" folder.
The emails we reply to are not like this email. For a person to respond to a letter, 2 key factors are needed:
- Personalization.
- Benefit offer (it's not about you, it's about them).
Let's face it: people are self-centered and interested in their own lives. The recipient will read the letter depending on the download - what triggers will make him continue reading depends on what you can do for him. It doesn't matter if you send 200 or 2000 emails, all customers will read it independently, and their expectations will be unique.
In this post, we have compiled a list of examples of how to start a letter in order to “hook” a potential client.
21 examples of how to start a letter
1. Link to a general acquaintance
"I worked with [A Mutual Friend] on [Project]."
Start by mentioning a person you both know and a project you've completed. Tell what you achieved in a particular project, and continue to describe how a similar approach can be applied to solve the problems of a potential client.
2. Mentioning a speech or presentation
"Saw your [Presentation] at [Event] and really liked your solution for [problem]."
Anyone will be pleased to hear that other people are actually using their materials. This could be an interview or a conference where your lead shared the "problem" areas of his business. Find something relevant to your offer and show in this way that you have completed the task. Now explain how your proposed solution will help solve the other problems mentioned.
Translator’s note
For example, we at UniSender could write: “I saw your presentation at the Business in Russia 2016 conference and I really liked what you said about the sales funnel.
Therefore, we at UniSender made a special integration with CRM so that we could expand the funnel and apply techniques not only by phone, but also in letters.”
3. Problem - Solution
“I learned that you are having difficulty with [problem] and we can help you with [Solution]”
Talk directly about the prospect's problem and then briefly talk about the solution in an elevator pitch format.
About elevator pitch
Elevator pitch is a very concise presentation of the company. Imagine that you need to tell all the most important things while you are going up with a client in an elevator.
Use a few meaningful pictures with statistics to grab attention and prove the rationale for your decision.
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4. Compliment
case study of a potential client.
Write how you can help bring these results to perfection in order to further accelerate the development of the company.
5. Congratulations
"Congratulations on [Achievement]"
Track your potential customers' publications and awards and use this opportunity to start business communication.
6. Promise of benefit
“If you want [benefit from the solution], this letter details how to do it.” your offer.
Letter example:
If you want to reduce SMM costs by 50% and get the same number of customers, then…
The method works because it promises the client that he will solve his problem by reading the letter.
7. Article mention
“I came across your article when I was looking for [Industry Trend]. Thank you for the insight.”
Mention an article or post written by a potential client and select a few findings or unresolved issues.
Show that you really appreciate the content and provide a link to what you offer.
8. Statistics
“What if I said [statistic]”
Find statistics that are not interesting to most but are directly related to what the prospect does. Definitely a good way to show your knowledge of the market and talk about your decision.
9. Question
“I have been reading your blog for a few months now and there are some questions I would like to discuss with you”
This is a good start if you are going to build a business relationship. This is how you immediately recognize your potential client as an expert in the subject and attract attention, as you are interested in what your lead wrote about. Provides an opportunity to truly understand the pain points of the business and offer an appropriate solution.
10. Commonality
“You and I belong to an exclusive group [something in common]”
Such a beginning will help you to connect with the reader.
Start with what unites you. People usually communicate with those with whom they have a lot in common.
For example, you sell advertising in a magazine:
You and I belong to a group of people who have achieved success through a deep understanding of customers.
11. News mention
“I saw the news about your company about [News]. Your competitor is having the same problem, and I want to point out that we can solve it with [Solution]"
Track news that directly relates to your prospect. If something significant happens, write how your solution can solve this problem. Letter start example:
If you are a research agency that works with startups and new products, tell your potential client how you helped a similar company change their product for the better by embodying the findings of the study.
12. Business tone and specifics
“I know you get bombarded with emails every day, so let’s get straight to the point — [Customer Benefit from Collaboration]”
This is where you directly start describing the customer’s benefit from your offer.
Your task is to provide a measurable and understandable point solution for a specific problem.
For example:
I know that dozens of people write to you every day, so get straight to the point - get more customers from the newsletter in April.
You are sending mailings and a certain number of people are placing orders. For example, the conversion is 1%. For $50 per month, we double the conversion from the newsletter so that you get more orders.
13. Interest
“I have been reading your posts for a long time and want to know your opinion about [Industry Latest]?”
Gather the most important industry news and ask the potential client for their opinion. This is a good way to show that the recipient of the letter is an opinion leader, as well as get some dose of recognition in return. Again, this beginning of the letter will help to start communication and justify why your decision is important right now (if the business is developing).
14. Problem Solving
“I have a solution [problem description]”
Start by describing the specific problem and immediately explain in detail how it can be solved.
It shouldn't be something generic like "no customers". The problem should be specific, for example, low conversion to customers from paid traffic from Adwords or sales managers do not make repeat sales.
15. Link to result
“I helped [Similar company name] get [Income]”
Here you start with an analogy - you have already achieved success with a similar company and are ready to repeat with a potential client's company.
16. Specific Benefit
“What if I told you I can help you achieve [Benefit]?”
Here you directly talk about the results or income from using your solution.
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17. Soft entry from benefit
“I don’t know how you feel about [Benefit], but for me…”
Here is an example letter:
I don't know what you think about turning every client into a brand advocate, but for me, this is the reason for the success of our company.
Such a beginning does not oblige the reader in any way, it simply expresses the sender's thought. We do not know how the person who received the letter feels, so we do not attribute anything to him. We also create an image of benefit for the recipient. This beginning helps to understand that a potential client can also get this benefit if they read the letter to the end.
18.
Helpful Research “Here is a study on [Topic] that will help you.”
This is another key to start a conversation. You start by submitting a study or article that will help your potential client.
19. Recommendation
“[The referrer] advised me to contact you”
Nothing beats a direct recommendation. Since you are writing for the first time, it is better to mention someone who can vouch for your work. This absolutely adds credibility to your letter.
20. Growth Question
“Is [Problem Statement] Stopping Your Company from Growth?”
Start with a question that speaks directly to the thing that is holding the company back. Then explain how your solution will remove that obstacle.
21. Specificity
"What would you think if I said that we specialize in solving [a specific problem]?"
We are always relieved when our problems are solved.
Here you are talking about pressing on that feeling by asking in a way that confirms your expertise in solving a specific problem.
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