Learning the English phonetic alphabet is challenging. Why is the letter "b" voiced as "buh" not "bee?" Shape and Say, developed by veteran Montessori preschool teacher Jennifer McConochie, uses stories with illustrations to teach children the sounds of the lower case phonetic alphabet in a natural, developmentally appropriate way. Each story focuses on an object or character saying the sound of a particular letter, while the poster illustration highlights that letter's shape. Throughout the "b" story, for example, a b-shaped bubble pipe blows bubbles: "Buh, buh, buh." Children are encouraged to say that sound each time it occurs in the story. Repeating the letter's sound as they see the picture of that letter's shape makes learning the association natural and fun. Follow up practice activities reinforce the lesson. Designed for both one-on-one instruction and group settings, this guide includes: * Twenty-six engaging stories * Parent and Educator introductory letters * Master copy for duplicating coloring and activity pages * 8 * x 11 black and white illustrations for poster enlargement * Instructions for constructing the take home projects With its easy-to-use interactive format, Shape and Say makes it effortless to introduce young children to the phonetic alphabet.