Movable Alphabets

Did you know that the ability to create words (writing) actually develops before the ability to read them does? It's obvious when you think about it; it's easier to create a code than to crack one. This means that, long before a child can write letters with a pencil, they can create them with the prepared alphabet (see our founder's graduate research at Harvard for evidence to prove it)!

Our alphabets let children gain experience with written language at the age when their brain is fascinated with it!

• Limited selection of symbols (letters only, no numbers or other graphical symbols) empowers children to find the sound they seek
• Place phonograms side-by-side with single letters to make all the key sounds of English that you can't make with a single letter (like th, sh, ch)
• Eco-printed in the USA

We recommend offering the traditional Movable Alphabet alongside the Phonogram Alphabet. This gives children all of the key sounds of English. They are then able to phonetically create any word they are inspired to write. 

For more information, download our Movable Alphabet Lesson Plans: 

• Traditional Movable Alphabet Lesson Plan
• Phonogram Alphabet Lesson Plan
• Black/Phonogram Alphabet Lesson Plan
• Solid Color Alphabet Lesson Plan

Storage Options

Cloth Pouch Pocket Charts: These are, in our opinion, the BEST way to store alphabet cards. We custom make these alphabet pocket chart cloth pouches so they are color-coded for each of our alphabets.

Egg Cartons: Traditional alphabets can be stored and displayed in egg cartons. We recommend placing two plastic cartons (one 18-egg carton and one 12-egg carton) side-by-side and hot gluing the bottoms to a piece of foam board or chipboard. Use the lids to help keep the dust off when the alphabets are not in use.

Craft Box: We like the 40-compartment box available from the Container Store because it has a transparent lid that helps keep the dust out without hiding the letters. Another alternative is a velvet 30 compartment jewelry box (like this one we found on Amazon). We tested it in a public school Montessori classroom and it held up well,... the children loved to touch its soft sides.

Keys to Success

Remember, for children to succeed with movable alphabet work, they first need to have (1) success with all four levels of the Sound Game (phonemic awareness) and (2) know all of the sounds of the individual letters/phonograms they are working with (letter-sound knowledge). And they also need experience turning their thoughts into verbal expressions (see our blog posts on spoken language and independence with the movable alphabet for details). Meet these prerequisites first and you will see language explode throughout the learning environment.

Benchmark Assessments Preparation

You can also use these alphabets to help prepare your students for benchmark assessments. Here's a video from an Orton-Gillingham Literacy Specialist to give you some ideas.