Literacy Stations: Alphabet Go Fish

This week, during an in situ visit to a kindergarten classroom, I facilitated a literacy station using Alphabet Go Fish to support early letter recognition. Students participated in four groups of four to six learners, with each group spending approximately fifteen minutes at the station. The students were excited to have us in the classroom, and I wanted to make a welcoming environment for them. Before each round, I introduced myself, learned the students’ names, and explained the rules of the game. Some students were confident with letters, while others were still developing their understanding, but all the students shared a keenness to learn!

Students were highly engaged and enjoyed creating matching pairs. During the visit, I noticed that showing the card being requested helped some learners connect the visual letter with the corresponding word. During the activity, I noticed the games were taking too long, so I adjusted by having students ask the entire table for a letter rather than a single player, which increased attention and participation. For one group that was ready for additional challenge, I had students ask for a letter while naming a word that began with that letter (e.g., “Does anyone have a C for caterpillar?”), This was a fun, added challenge that strengthened students’ connections and gave them a chance to be creative. Carter was also working in the class with me that morning, and his station came directly before mine. Carter was doing alphabet memory. Having him prime the students on a letter game that was similar yet different played a big role in my success at my station.

Connection to Curriculum

Big Idea

• Playing with language helps us discover how language works.

Curricular Competencies

• Use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning.
• Use developmentally appropriate reading, listening, and viewing strategies to make meaning.
• Explore foundational concepts of print, oral, and visual texts
• Exchange ideas and experiences to build shared understanding

Content

• Letter knowledge.
• Oral language strategies.
• Concepts of print and early reading behaviours.

Reflection on Participation and Personal Growth

This experience highlighted the importance of relationship building and responsive teaching in a primary classroom. Beginning each session by introducing myself and learning students’ names helped create a positive and welcoming environment. Students were really cooperative and supported one another, focusing more on participation than competition. Overall, the experience was a lot of fun for the students and me.

The activity also reinforced the importance of supporting different learning levels. Some learners required modelling and visual support, while others benefited from added challenge. Adjusting the rules and extending the task allowed me to respond to student needs in the moment while maintaining engagement.

In relation to the Professional Standards for BC Educators, this experience demonstrated the value of creating inclusive learning spaces, adapting instruction, and encouraging respectful interaction among students. Overall, facilitating this station strengthened my confidence in working with primary aged studetns and reinforced the importance of flexibility and relationship-building in supporting early literacy development.