Hi, my son is 3 ½ years old. He distinguishes colors (can name them all), and can count to 10 and sings the alphabet, though not articulated well. I was curious to know if with a phonics program he will be able to recognize letters in the alphabet. I have bought him flashcards in the past, and they do not interest him, so how can phonics catch his attention?

In answer to your question, yes, a phonics program would help him recognize the letters in the alphabet, individually, and out of order—not only recognize them, but be able to associate a sound with each letter. This is a very important pre-reading skill. I use a phonics program everyday in my 4-year-old preschool class and have tremendous reading success. The phonics lessons that I teach with uses music, object lessons and workbook activities to capture the attention of these young readers. If you’ve worked with flashcards before and he exhibited little interest, that might indicative of his age. When he’s 4, pull them out again, and see if he’s not a bit more attentive. Most 4-year -olds have a real curiosity about the alphabet letters and how they go together particularly the letters in their names. This is a great launching point.