Back to Basics: Teaching Colors, Shapes, Letters and Numbers

If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.

Discover effective, developmentally appropriate strategies for teaching colors, shapes, letters, and numbers to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Designed for early childhood professionals, this online, self-paced course explores when and how to introduce foundational concepts, the sequence of letter instruction, uppercase and lowercase letter recognition, counting skills, and engaging learning activities. Through interactive lessons, videos, and practical examples, participants will build the confidence to create meaningful early learning experiences that support school readiness. Course length  – 3.0 hours.

The course answers the following questions:

• At what age should I start teaching colors, shapes, letters and numbers?

• How can I teach these concepts to the very young?

• How can I keep it interesting for preschoolers?

• In what order should I teach the letters of the alphabet?

• Should I teach lower case or upper case first?

• What types of activities I can use do to help teach these concepts?

• What is the difference between rote counting and one-to-one correspondence?

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify developmentally appropriate ages and methods for introducing colors, shapes, letters, and numbers to young children with 80% accuracy on the course assessment.

• Explain at least three research-based approaches for teaching letter recognition, including letter sequencing and the use of uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Differentiate between rote counting and one-to-one correspondence by correctly identifying examples of each with 80% accuracy.

• Select at least five engaging activities that promote children’s understanding of colors, shapes, letters, and numbers across infancy through preschool.

• Develop a lesson plan that incorporates developmentally appropriate strategies for teaching foundational concepts while supporting children’s cognitive and language development.