Gather the materials
- Large paper A/a, M/m and S/s cards
- One familiar picture for each pair
- A shared book or grown-up-written labels
Choose large materials and supervise their use. Adjust quantity, print size, response method and pace to the learner. A partner may move or record while the learner points or explains.
Teach the sequence
2 minutes
Model one pair
Show M and m. Say ‘These both represent the letter M; they have different written forms.’ Put mango or moon nearby and name it. Keep a letter-name choice separate from the sound activity.
4 minutes
Match together
Lay out A, M and S, then offer one lowercase card at a time. Think aloud once about the target shape. Mix the card positions so the learner cannot succeed by remembering left-to-right order.
3 minutes
Look inside a word
Write a familiar example such as map. Read the whole word, then find its m. Ask the learner to place the capital partner beside it. A child may point or direct a partner rather than move the card.
2 minutes
Check independently
Offer two new arrangements of the three pairs without immediately correcting. Note whether a learner matches the written forms or relies on the picture. Model the uncertain pair again afterwards.
Adapt the same idea
Provide more support
Use one pair, then two, before offering three. Increase spacing and contrast, provide the word names and accept pointing, gaze or a partner-assisted selection. A different printed a or g is an adult-led comparison, not a surprise error.
Extend when ready
Compare a familiar book font with the classroom handwriting model. Find the same letter in two meaningful words rather than racing through the whole alphabet.
What to observe
- Can the learner match the pair after its position changes?
- Can they find the letter inside a word the adult has read?
- Are picture vocabulary or visual similarity distracting from the intended objective?
Use these observations to decide what to model next. A brief note about a strategy or a misconception is more useful than simply recording a score.
Home follow-up
Choose one letter from a shared book and draw its capital/lowercase partner. A grown-up reads the whole word; no name or work sample needs to be uploaded.