Do most children know alphabets before going to reception?

[heun817]

My kid goes to reception coming fall, and he knows less than half of the alphabets. I am trying to teach him but I feel that he's having a hard time remembering the letters and making links inside the brain. He recognizes numbers (1-20) pretty easily, so I thought he's ready but apparently he's not.. He turns five coming September, and I am a bit anxious because he's a bilingual and his spoken English is also quite behind his peers who speak only English. Do most children know alphabets before going to reception?

I think a lot of them would - especially at the older end. My son has just turned 5 and finished reception and he’s reading and writing. But I’m sure plenty of them aren’t and they learn phonics in school so sure he’ll pick it up soon.

Also, it’s alphabet not alphabets!!

I’m going to take a stab and say English isn’t your first language either. I’d leave the phonics alone for the teacher to explain to him. It can be really easy to get it wrong and he’ll only have to relearn it all.

It’s a while ago, but I don’t think mine did. And they weren’t taught the alphabet as such - it was all phonics, and not in alphabetical order, I think they began with s, t, and a. I had to get my head around it, because letter names weren’t used at all, only sounds. Plus in the average reception class there will be a range from those already reading and writing to those who can’t count to five, with everything in between. And I’ve found early achievement is not always a predictor of who will do well later.

I teach in reception and please don't worry. Some children do and some don't, but they will be taught. My son didn't know anything on entering school, but was a strong reader by the end of the year.
In my experience, they all find their natural level and those who were taught to read at nursery do not do any better as time goes on.

None of mine did and they are all now at greater depth for reading and writing (a few years on)

Some children will, some children won't. The school will have a phonics system (the way reading is taught) and all the children will learn together, so he won't be left behind. I'm sure he'll learn quickly when he is in school.

Can he recognise his name written down? Dress himself? Feed himself? Listen to instructions? Those are more important in the first few weeks of school than knowing your alphabet.

I'm also a Reception teacher. Don't worry at all! He'll be ahead of some, and behind others in his current knowledge, but they'll all learn what they need to once they start.

Best things you can do, especially at the moment, are to focus on teaching independence. Zipping up coats, putting on gloves, opening snack and lunch packs, getting changed for sports etc. With social distancing even being vaguely attempted in reception, it will be the biggest help if he can do those things, rather than know his letters. Different schools have different ways of teaching too, so it's not worth putting loads of effort and pressure on him to learn something that he may need to re-learn soon anyway.

He'll be fine! With a parent who cares, I've rarely seen a kid that doesn't reach their potential in Reception. It's the families that don't care at all that are my biggest challenge usually.

I did not teach dd the alphabet as such, but I did teach her to read. To show a child a shape and try to get them to remember a sound associated with that shape is an abstract and difficult way to learn. Much better to point to simple CVC words in a book and sound them out for them.

In my experience, they all find their natural level and those who were taught to read at nursery do not do any better as time goes on.

My experience differs from this. I think my dd ended up ahead of where she would have been because I taught her to read and do some maths before she started in reception. Education does make a difference to ability, even when it is supplied by parents. So long as it is well balanced with other activities, such as play, go ahead and teach your child. It will not be wasted.

My daughter starts reception in September, she noes the sounds of the letters to her name and a couple of others. She can write her name and noes numbers up to 11.
It's amazing how quickly they start to recognise them all after just the 1st term so I wouldn't worry too much.

My daughter is starting in September. She knows most of the Phase 2 letter sounds (type in phonics phase 2 letter sounds into google to learn them in order). She can recognise most numbers to 20. Working on her wiping her bottom more accurately is my biggest focus at the moment, more so than anything academic

No and it won’t matter one jot.

Retired Reception teacher here - no, they don't all know their letters, and as others have said, they will start with phonics at school and learn letter names later.

No, please do not worry about it.

Working on her wiping her bottom more accurately is my biggest focus at the moment, more so than anything academic

This is a much more important skill at this stage.

I don’t think English is your own language either (?) - i would leave it because there are specific techniques to learning phonics (it isn’t about memorising 26 letters at all) - and you trying to teach these to him would be causing damage which school would need to undo to teach him phonics. Just leave This and focus on seeing he is independently dressing etc.

If the child is show Jt an interest in learning, to read, then teach them.

But don't do it by trying to teach the alphabet.

Instead get the first couple of books of Jolly Phonics, and start with the simplest sounds. It's more rewarding when it all starts making sense (words are made of sounds, these squiggles are a code which tells us which sounds, so we can get what the word it).

Just learning the alphabet is a bit dull, and you don't need to do it as a stand--alone exercise.

The only two words worth teaching, and to be recognised on sight, are the DC's name and surname (for labels etc)

The Jolly Phonics cartoons are also on YouTube. My DS enjoys the songs and I think it did help him learn his sounds.

Alphablocks are also good.

I hope not!

One of mine was writing whole sentences, another refused to pick up a pencil and knew none of it, third was OK on her name and a few other bits.

You really couldn't tell now which was which.

DC1 knew most of them having done a little bit at preschool he didn't really take in. Having been really resistant to the idea, he suddenly got really into it over the summer and just picked them up really quickly - we let him play the teach your monster to read app. If we'd tried to teach him before he got into it, I think it would have been a waste of time.

If your DS isn't interested, I wouldn't make a fight of it - plenty of the other kids won't know anything either.

Mine did but only through a song! She could reconise some letters. But don't worry. The teachers know how to get them all where they need to be.

YouTube or netflix have lots of alphabet songs. Things like the baby bum nursery rhymes. He will be fine x

No they don't.
My 3 dcs school found it harder to teach those that had been taught in a different way so preferred them not to.
I'd concentrate on making sure they can independently use the toilet, fasten their coat, get changed for pe (and how to keep their clothes together so they don't get mixed up), recognise their name, eat independently, be able to line up, encourage to sit still etc.
Read together and ask them questions to see if they understand.
Don't worry they all get it at different points my eldest didn't click with schooling till year 1 my other two it seemed to click by the Christmas of reception year.

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies!! I will stop worrying about alphabet and try teaching him wiping and dressing as recommended :)

Having experienced a variety of different education systems, schools are likely to be of a much higher standard wherever you came from than in England. I would keep your expectations low.