Jumpstart to Reading ABC : Learning the Alphabet with the Montessori Method

Give your child a JUMPSTART to READING by teaching the shapes and sounds of letters with Montessori's proven method.

Jumpstart to Reading ABC is fun! It's not just about teaching the alphabet, but fostering a love of learning in your child.

Early reading skills can open incredible doors for your child! Why not give them a jump-start?

Recommended for children ages 3, 4, 5, and 6 years old, you can start Jumpstart to Reading ABC as soon as your child shows interest. Children who have regular "read-aloud time" may show interest in letters around 3 years, 3.5 years, or 4 years old, some as early as 2.5 years old.

Jumpstart to Reading ABC can be your homeschooling reading curriculum for preschool or kindergarten, or a support curriculum for struggling readers at any age. English Language Arts at home has never been easier! The Montessori Method is an easy and effective way to teach Reading.

In the book and on our website, you'll find an easy guide with instructions for how to present each letter and how to check the child's comprehension in a way that builds confidence.

Includes 14 bonus pages of “first words” to read, corresponding with the Montessori Pink-Level Reading materials. These include words and phrases with three-letter phonetic CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant), such as cat, man, dog, leg, etc.

An affordable alternative to the Montessori Sandpaper Letters.

Also available:

• Jumpstart to Reading ABC Activity Book

Frequently-Asked Questions

Q: What about this book is “Montessori-inspired”?

A: Dr. Maria Montessori’s “Three-Period Lesson” for presenting letter shapes and sounds is the three-step teaching method described on pages 2-3 of this book. Montessori called for isolating the learning objective, which is why each letter has a full, two-page spread with nothing else on those pages to distract the child. Montessori’s Sandpaper Letters are tactile to help the child self-correct when tracing, but we’ve used bold colors and thick black lines to help the child visually self-correct when tracing. Tracing the large letter requires big movement for a small child. This fits with Montessori’s philosophy of working with the hands to internalize new information.

Q: Can my child use this book alone?

A: This book is designed as 26+ ten-minute lessons for an adult and child to do together. The child could use the book alone to practice letters they've already learned.

Q: What if the child traces the letter backwards?

A: Model the correct way to write the letter by tracing it again. Use positive language: “Let me show you again how I trace it. Could you trace it this way?” If they’re still tracing the letter incorrectly, come back to that letter another day.

Q: Can I teach the letter names, like in “The ABC Song”?

A: The letter names are not helpful for early reading. The goal is for the child to associate the form of the letter with the sound it makes in most words. When sounding out the word “cat”, the child needs the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/, not the names C, A, and T.

Q: Why not teach capital letters at the same time?

A: Early reading requires lowercase letters. Learning all 26 letters is a big task for a small child. Learning the capital and lowercase letters together is twice as much work!

Q: In what order should I teach the letters?

A: You can begin with high-frequency letters, but if the child shows interest in other letters, you can follow their lead. Encourage the child to master a small set of letters before introducing more.

Sample sets:
m s a t i p
d n e c r h k
o l g u f b
x j z w v y q