Hey friends, welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood!This one is suuuuuper exciting, but before we start, let me ask you a question!Has anyone ever said to you: "Oh, you teach preschool, it must be so much fun to play all day!"?Pretty frustrating, right? Many people think teaching early childhood is a walk in the park, even when you and I know the truth: It isn't!Our job needs time, dedication, and a real love for children and literacy. After all, not anyone can teach a small child the alphabet...Which brings me to today's subject: This week’s guest, the brilliant Melissa Leach (of Leach Literacy Training), who is here to discuss the science behind teaching letters, letter names, and sounds to preschool-aged children.Are you ready?Grab yourself a nice hot chocolate (or a spiced cider, 'tis the season after all), have a seat in your favorite chair, and tune in! Key Takeaways:Is teaching preschool really easy? (00:00)Letter before letters sounds or vice-versa? (04:45)Don't jump in too quickly (08:41)The importance of not making assumptions (13:53)Why it's important to understand the children you're teaching (14:27)How to get your children excited about learning letters (16:36) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get the Ultimate Alphabet Freebie Bundle here.- Get my free “How to Teach the Alphabet” eBook here.- Want to connect with Melissa? Click here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.