Performance of Children's Literature Fall 2024

CASD 1717 – Fall 2024

Materials for Learning the ABCs

Over time, different materials have been produced to help children (and adults) learn to read. On this page you’ll explore some of the earliest materials for teaching reading.

The Hornbook

example of a hornbook - a wooden paddle with "The Lords Prayer" on it.
Hornbook containing alphabet, syllabary, and the Lord’s prayer c.1700-1750 (courtesy of Boston Public Library)

This is an example of a hornbook, an early reading primer dating back to the 1450s or even earlier. Similar kinds of items were in use through the 19th century. It consists of a sheet of paper or vellum mounted on a wood or metal frame with a handle and protected under a thin transparent layer of horn.

“Miss Campion” holding a hornbook, 1661. From Tuer’s History of the Hornbook" Ink illustration of a young girl in 17th century fashion standing at a table and holding a hornbook. A feathered hat is on the table and a dog lies at her feet.
“Miss Campion” holding a hornbook, 1661. From Tuer’s History of the Horn-Book

Early Printed Materials

As printing became more accessible and less cost-prohibitive, children were given access to cheaply bound and printed battledores and primers.

Skim through The New England Primer used in the United States from approximately 1690 through the 18th and much of the 19th century. This version is a printing from roughly 1800. Skim through this but pay attention to what kind of content is available.

Now skim through this 1840 primer.

What do you think have replaced primers like this?

Explore: Early Alphabet Books

The Ark Alphabet was published in 1868 in New York.

One of the most famous alphabet books is the one below from 1886, illustrated by Kate Greenway, an artist for whom one of the big children’s literature awards is given. The book is based on a common rhyme used to learn the alphabet.

This last one is by C.B. Falls and published in 1923.

Which would you rather learn your ABCs from?

  • A is for Apple Pie (40%, 8 Votes)
  • The Falls ABC Book (25%, 5 Votes)
  • My Little Primer With Many Pictures (15%, 3 Votes)
  • The New England Primer (10%, 2 Votes)
  • Ark Alphabet (5%, 1 Votes)
  • Anything Else Please (5%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 19

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What do you remember about learning to read? How did you learn your alphabet? Was there a particular book you remember? What alphabet books above might you want to see more of? Why?

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Comments

24 responses to “Materials for Learning the ABCs”

  1. Jennifer Delaguila Avatar
    Jennifer Delaguila

    What I remember about learning how to read was how difficult it was for me to pronounce words. When my teachers had to grade our reading skills, I remember I would be embarrassed because I would get stuck on every other word. I remember learning the alphabet in school when my teacher would make us sing the alphabet song every morning. I don’t quite remember any particular books that I used to help me.

    Reply
    1. Anifat Abumislimova Avatar
      Anifat Abumislimova

      I had the same experience. I think it was the first grade, we had to read in one minute. And in one minute I got about 7-8 words. Well, I understand it was fear and embarrassment, besides, the words were difficult to read. But after that, I became the first in the class who read more words.
      I think I learned the alphabet the same way my children do now through songs and games. I do not remember any particular books, but I remember how my mom studied and taught me.

      Reply
  2. Vanessa Lara Avatar
    Vanessa Lara

    When I was learning how to read I remember learning the sounds of the letters and then putting those sounds together. I specifically remember not liking it because I had a hard time when I would sound out letters but it wasn’t the right sound for the word. For instance Knowledge the K is silent so sometimes I would get confused. I learned my alphabet through the ABC song and by having my teacher print out the letters and we had to trace them. I do not remember a particular book that helped me with learning the ABC’s.

    Reply
  3. Alexa Mendez Avatar
    Alexa Mendez

    I remember learning my ABC’s through picture books and listening to songs from my favorite shows.

    Reply
  4. anthea longville Avatar
    anthea longville

    I don’t remember anything about learning o read. I learned my alphabet by singing the song and no there was no book that I remembered. Alphabet books that I would like to see more of are pop up books, lift the flap or texture book and books that not only focus on the letters but also the sounds they make because they can be especially helpful in early literacy.

    Reply
  5. Nitzan Naim Avatar
    Nitzan Naim

    I remember having these practice notebooks that taught me the alphabet. I don’t think I had picture books, though.

    Reply
  6. Tory Sen Avatar
    Tory Sen

    I learned to read alphabet books with a picture or word for each letter. The letters were taught through practice and ABC songs. A picture book I remember had big, bright letters and pictures like “A for Apple” and “B for Ball.” It was fun and interesting. Alphabet books with stories or characters that are creative and look good make learning more fun and memorable.

    Reply
  7. Amy Khait Avatar
    Amy Khait

    I learned the alphabet through the ABC song and through games, watching shows. Alphabet pop up books can help make learning the ABC’s more fun and interesting.

    Reply
  8. Ariana Loyfman Avatar
    Ariana Loyfman

    When learning to read I remember a lot of repetition of the ABC’s and becoming familiar with the language since English was not my first language. I would try to connect images to the words as well.

    Reply
  9. Mahnoor Avatar
    Mahnoor

    I remember learning my alphabet through charts with pictures and songs. I recall gaining my reading skills by mastering sounds, followed by common words, and then combining these skills to read complete sentences. I remember reading the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom with my friends, which helped with sounds and letters. I would like to see more books like A is for Apple Pie because it teaches the basics. 

    Reply
  10. Victoria Lucenti Avatar
    Victoria Lucenti

    I remember learning the alphabet from school and by singing the alphabet song at home and at school as well. When learning how to read, I remember my teachers providing us with decodable book texts, books that were one grade above our own level, and from reading so many books at home with my grandma. There honestly isn’t a particular book that I remember, especially that this experience of mine was over 15 years ago, but a book I would like to see more is “My Little Primer With Many Pictures”.

    Reply
  11. Sofia Buttaro Avatar
    Sofia Buttaro

    Beginning with the alphabet, which I was exposed to through enjoyable activities like letter tracing and alphabet songs, I recall learning to read as an exciting process. I had alphabet books with lively illustrations for each letter, which helped me remember them. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is the one I like most! Another book that caught my attention featured an animal for every letter, which made it interesting and instructive. In order to make learning more real and significant for kids, I would want to see more alphabet books that highlight storytelling or cultural components, maybe highlighting varied families or ordinary life events.

    Reply
    1. ashley dai Avatar
      ashley dai

      I loved and love alphabet books that feature animals! It is such a fun way to tap into children’s interests and really engage them and generate conversations

      Reply
    2. ashley dai Avatar
      ashley dai

      I also agree with you on the books I want to see more of. I’ve seen a huge uptick of counting books that feature different cultures. So many of them are bilingual and use images of ethnic foods and I love to see that representation— eating different foods & speaking different languages is something that can incite so much shame and I love seeing the exposure picture books provide children who otherwise don’t have access to that realm

      Reply
  12. Brittany Giler Avatar
    Brittany Giler

    I remember as a child that i learned the alphabet by singing the ABC song everyday at school and practicing letter sounds and then tracing letters. I also recall learning in school with hooked on phonics.

    Reply
  13. Michelle Cortes Rodriguez Avatar
    Michelle Cortes Rodriguez

    When learning how to read I remember my teachers starting with the vowels and then sounding out words before doing the whole reading. Learning the alphabet I memorize it since my teachers will always go over it everyday. The only book I remember is the hungry caterpillar.

    Reply
  14. Selina Chen Avatar
    Selina Chen

    Learning to read growing up is one of the things I had difficulty with and I also remember singing along the alphabet song together with the class. A particular book I remember is “The very hungry caterpillar”. This book is not really a beginner alphabet book but I do know that this is the book that I have the most memory of and remember growing up reading multiple times. A lot of alphabet books only includes the letters and then what things represents that letter. I’m not sure if its something that exist already but I would like to see more alphabet books that’s more story telling related and maybe also have the letters of the alphabet highlighted in order. I feel like not only does it teach children the alphabet but maybe also teach them that it’s included everywhere even in story telling.

    Reply
  15. Kateryna Senkovych Avatar
    Kateryna Senkovych

    When I was little, I remember learning the alphabet by pictures and my mom would always sing the alphabet for me. I don’t remember any particular books because they were Ukrainian.

    Reply
  16. Naurah Romulus Avatar
    Naurah Romulus

    I don’t remember much about how I learned to read, but my earliest memory of learning letters was in kindergarten. All I remember is constantly having to trace all the letters on a worksheet

    Reply
  17. ashley dai Avatar
    ashley dai

    I have typed and deleted my answer for this question so many times! I never reflected so much before on how I learned how to read as I now cram info in my brain about early literacy skills. I didn’t think I had many memories of learning how to read. But the more I responded to this question, the more I found myself going back to restart my answer. Turns out, I do have many memories!

    I learned how to read at a NYC public school, where we did a lot of class reading, especially with Big Books (1st grade) and Wikki Stix which emphasized sight words, words that were not spelled phonetically, and compound words. In the 2nd grade, we had small reading groups where we were divided based off our reading levels (levels were named after the letters of the alphabet & the level name/difficulty correlated with the position the letter was in the alphabet A lowest Z highest). In kindergarten, I don’t remember much besides flash cards & learning the alphabet in order (a practice I do not agree with as an educator)

    To this DAY, I sing out “Xavier was an alien, extraterrestrial. He was born on Planet X, extremely far from Earth.” You will find this engraved in my bones.

    https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/books/abc-sing-along-flip-chart-9780439784399.html

    The above flip chart was treated like the gospel at my school.

    Reply
  18. Kaylee Pontone Avatar
    Kaylee Pontone

    I remember having to trace letters and also remember dreading having to write my own name over and over as practice for print/cursive. I loved reading Corduroy out loud!

    Reply
  19. Emma Avatar
    Emma

    I remember resonating each letter with a word that I already knew how to pronounce and that helped me remember the sounds they made. Everyday we would learn a different letter while still remembering what we did the day before to learn the order.

    Reply
  20. Amna Syeda Avatar
    Amna Syeda

    I remember learning the vowels first. Each morning, my teacher would point to each letter on the board and ask us to pronounce it and say the sound. Once we mastered the vowels, she had a collection of bins filled with a wide selection of books for us to choose from and read.

    Reply
  21. Jaylyn Calles Avatar
    Jaylyn Calles

    What do you remember about learning to read? How did you learn your alphabet? Was there a particular book you remember? What alphabet books above might you want to see more of? Why?
    I remeber about to read was sounding out the word breaking the words into 3 different parts. I learned my alphabet with my older brother hes 4 years older me he went to school before me and would help me as i got older. A particular book i remember which is one of my favorites is rainbow fish. A apple pie by Kate because it reminded me of chikachika boom the alphabet tree.

    Reply

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