What is the Best Order to Teach the Alphabet: What Research Really Says
- Learning Made Easy
- Mar 17
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 18
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What Order Should I Teach the Alphabet to a Preschooler?
Teaching the alphabet can feel simple… until you are the one sitting at the table with a busy preschooler, a stack of letter cards, and a little voice asking for a snack five minutes after you started.
I think a lot of parents wonder the same thing in that moment:
"Am I teaching this in the right order?"
Do I go straight through A to Z because that is how children see the alphabet everywhere?
Do I use a special phonics sequence?
Do I need to teach letters out of order to set my child up for reading success?
If you have ever asked yourself those questions, you are not overthinking it because letter knowledge really does matter, and we must get this first foundational step right. Research consistently shows that alphabet knowledge, including letter names and letter sounds, is one of the strongest early predictors of later reading success.
But here is the encouraging part:
Research does not say there is only one perfect order every parent must follow to teach letters. Studies suggest that children often learn some letters earlier than others, especially those in their own names or those they see often. Still, the evidence does not point to a universal sequence that every family must use.
That is why Learning Made Easy uses an 8-step phonics system. We teach the alphabet in A–Z order and focus on what matters most first:
letter recognition
letter-sound knowledge
letter formation
That first step should become strong, comfortable, and automatic before moving into the next layers of phonics. That approach fits well with the broader research base on early literacy and foundational reading skills.
So if you are wondering whether teaching the alphabet in order is "good enough," my answer is yes:
A–Z is absolutely fine when it is taught systematically and with mastery in mind. That is Step 1. And that step matters.
A–Z is familiar. It is easy for parents to remember. It matches the alphabet song, alphabet books, and everyday exposure that young children already have. And when it is taught in a clear, systematic, mastery-based way, it can give children a strong foundation for everything that comes next.
Research supports early alphabet knowledge as foundational, but it does not show that alphabetical order is a bad way to teach letters.
So if you are starting with A, B, C, D... all the way to Z, you are on solid ground.
What does the research say about the order of teaching letters?
This is where it helps to separate two different questions:
1. Does alphabet knowledge matter?
Yes, very much. The National Early Literacy Panel identified alphabet knowledge as one of the strongest early predictors of later literacy outcomes.
2. Does research prove there is one best letter order?
Not really. Research on individual letter learning shows that children often learn some letters earlier than others for different reasons, especially letters in their own names, familiar letters like A and B, and letters whose names give clues to their sounds. But the research does not point to one universally required teaching sequence for all children.
That means parents can breathe a little.
You do not have to feel like you are messing your child up by teaching the alphabet in order.
Why do some programs teach letters out of order?
Some phonics programs introduce letters in a non-alphabetical sequence so children can start blending sounds into simple words sooner. That is one reason programs like Jolly Phonics are popular. The idea is to introduce useful sounds early so children can begin building and reading simple words without waiting to get through the whole alphabet.
That kind of sequencing can be practical instructionally, especially in a sound-first program. The broader research base supports explicit instruction in letter-sound relationships and blending, even though it does not require one single sequence for all learners.
So if a parent wants to use a specific non-A–Z sequence, that can be a valid option.
But it is not the only good option.
Why we teach letters A–Z in our 8-step phonics system
Our Ready-to-Learn Letters Program teaches the alphabet in order from A to Z.
Still, we do not stop at just introducing the letters.
We aim to ensure that parents and teachers have the tools to help children become fluent in the alphabet before moving on to the next layers of phonics.
That matters because knowing a letter is more than being able to sing it in a song. Children need repeated practice linking:
letter recognition
the letter name
the sound
and the written form
Research suggests that letter-name knowledge can actually help children learn letter sounds, especially when the letter name contains a cue to the sound. Studies also show benefits to teaching letter names and sounds together rather than treating them as unrelated skills.
That is one reason letter recognition and letter-sound knowledge come first.
And for young children, I also include letter formation, because writing letters helps make them more concrete and memorable. Early writing and letter production are part of the broader early literacy picture and are linked to later literacy development.
My recommendation for parents
If you are wondering what order to teach the alphabet to a preschooler, here is my honest answer:
You do not need a magical order. You need a clear plan.
If you want to teach A–Z, that is perfectly okay.
If you want to use a structured, non-alphabetical sequence like Jolly Phonics, that can work too.
What matters most is that your child is getting systematic, repeated practice with the core skills that make reading possible. Research and practice both support the importance of those early alphabet skills.
The 3 core skills I look for before moving on
Before I move a child into the next steps of phonics, I want to see strength in these three areas:
1. Letter recognition
Can the child quickly recognize the letter by sight?
2. Letter-sound production
Can the child say the sound for the letter?
3. Letter formation
Can the child form the letter with reasonable control?
This is letter mastery.
And that mastery should become strong and comfortable before expecting a child to handle more advanced phonics skills, such as blending, digraphs, vowel teams, and spelling rules.
Do children naturally learn some letters before others?
Yes, and this is actually helpful for parents to know.
Research shows that children often learn:
the first letter in their own name early
letters from their names earlier than some others
Some highly familiar letters earlier than others
letters whose names help cue their sounds more easily than letters that do not
That does not mean you must redesign your whole teaching plan around those letters. It just means that if your child knows the letters in their name first, that is normal. It also means that when a child picks up some letters faster than others, that is normal, too.
So, what order should I teach the alphabet to a preschooler?
Here is the simple answer:
Teach the alphabet in a way that is:
systematic
easy to stick with
rich in repetition
focused on mastery
For many families, A–Z works beautifully.
That is exactly what I use in my 8-step phonics system, but you use what feels natural to you and your child. Just make sure that your child is fluent in letters and sounds.
I want parents to feel confident teaching at home, not overwhelmed by the search for a perfect sequence that research does not actually require. The evidence supports teaching alphabet knowledge early and explicitly; it does not require one universal order for every child.
My recommendation
If you are teaching a preschooler, start here:
Teach letter recognition.
Teach letter sounds.
Teach letter formation.
Practice until it feels easy.
That first step matters more than whether you introduced letters in a special order.
So yes—A–Z is absolutely fine.
And if parents want to use a different sequence, something like Jolly Phonics can also be a reasonable choice.
But in my experience, and in light of the research, a simple A–Z mastery approach is a strong, parent-friendly way to begin.
Ready to try some FREE Lessons? You can find the full curriculum, including 31 units and over 1,000 free worksheets, on the Ready-to-Learn Letters Hub.
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Final encouragement
If you take nothing else from this post, take this:
A strong phonics foundation starts with fluency in letters and sounds.
You're doing important work—one letter at a time.
Happy Homeschooling!
FAQ section
What order should I teach the alphabet to a preschooler?
A good answer is: teach the alphabet in a systematic, easy-to-follow, and mastery-focused way. Research strongly supports the development of early letter-name and letter-sound knowledge. Still, it does not support one exact letter sequence.
Is it okay to teach the alphabet in order from A to Z?
Yes. Teaching letters in A–Z order is a reasonable and parent-friendly approach. The research supports teaching alphabet knowledge early, but it does not show that alphabetical order is a poor method. What matters most is that children get repeated, explicit practice with letter names, sounds, and writing.
Should I teach letter names or letter sounds first?
In practice, many children benefit from learning together. Research suggests letter names can support letter-sound learning, especially for letters whose names contain cues to their sounds.
Do children need to know all their letters before phonics?
Children need a strong foundation in letter recognition and letter-sound knowledge before more advanced phonics becomes easier and more meaningful. In my 8-step phonics system, I treat letter mastery as the first major step because alphabet knowledge is such an important early literacy skill.
Why do some programs teach letters out of order?
Some phonics programs introduce letters in a non-alphabetical order so children can begin blending simple words sooner. That can be a valid instructional choice. The broader evidence base supports explicit instruction in foundational reading skills, including sound-letter relationships and blending.
Are special sequences better than teaching A–Z?
Not necessarily better for every family, just different. A structured non-alphabetical sequence can work well, and an A–Z mastery approach can also work well. Research supports strong early alphabet instruction, but it does not require one single letter order for all children.
What should my preschooler master before moving on?
I recommend focusing on these three core skills first:
recognizing the letter
saying the letter sound
forming the letter
That first layer of fluency provides children with a stronger foundation for the rest of their phonics instruction. This is consistent with the broader early literacy research base, which emphasizes alphabet knowledge and writing-related early literacy skills.
Reference list
National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. National Institute for Literacy.
Foorman, B. R., Beyler, N., Borradaile, K., Coyne, M., Denton, C. A., Dimino, J., Furgeson, J., Hayes, L., Justice, L., Keating, B., Lewis, W., Sattar, S., Scanlon, D., Schatschneider, C., & Wissel, S. (2016). Foundational skills to support reading for understanding in kindergarten through 3rd grade
(NCEE 2016-4008). What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences.
Phillips, B. M., Piasta, S. B., Anthony, J. L., Lonigan, C. J., & Francis, D. J. (2012). IRTs of the ABCs: Children's letter name acquisition. Journal of School Psychology, 50(4), 461–481.
Justice, L. M., Pence, K., Bowles, R. B., & Wiggins, A. (2006). An investigation of four hypotheses concerning the order by which 4-year-old children learn the alphabet letters. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(3), 374–389.
Treiman, R., Kessler, B., & Pollo, T. C. (2007). Which children benefit from letter names in learning letter sounds? Cognition, 106(3), 1322–1338.
Piasta, S. B., Purpura, D. J., & Wagner, R. K. (2010). Fostering alphabet knowledge development: A comparison of two instructional approaches. Reading and Writing, 23, 607–626.
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