Letters to Love

Please note: The grammar rules, spelling conventions, and examples in this article refer specifically to the German language and are intended for use in German-language primary school classrooms.

The German alphabet has 26 letters — plus four special characters: the Umlauts Ä, Ö, Ü and the ligature ß. For children learning to read and write in German, these characters can be particularly tricky. But they can also be an invitation to explore.

Letters as objects

Children learn through touch. Wooden letters, foam letters, and letters formed from clay or wire give the abstract symbol a physical presence. Running a finger along the curve of an Ö or pressing the flat top of an Ä helps children feel the shape before they write it.

Making letters visible

Hang a large letter of the week in the classroom. Collect objects whose German names begin with that letter — the more unusual, the better. A week focused on "Ü" might gather: Übung (practice), Überraschung (surprise), Umschlag (envelope). Children delight in finding edge cases and exceptions.

Drawing and painting letters

Let children draw large letters and fill them with images of words that start with that letter — or words that contain it anywhere. A letter Ä filled with drawings of Bär, Käse, Mädchen becomes a personal reference card.

The special characters

Umlauts (Ä, Ö, Ü) and the ß are uniquely German. Introduce them as "special letters with their own personality." The two dots of an Umlaut can become eyes; the ß can become a snake. Giving characters a story makes them easier to remember.

From letters to words

Once children are comfortable with individual letters, move to word-building games. Magnetic letters on a board, letter tiles on a table — the physical act of assembling and disassembling words reinforces the connection between sound, symbol, and meaning.