What if teaching your students to read didn’t start with letters… but with numbers?
For many young learners, the abstract concept of reading—a jumble of letters on a page—can be overwhelming. Fortunately children are naturally comfortable with something more fundamental: counting and understanding order. Early numeracy skills, seeing quantity and recognizing patterns in sets, lays the groundwork for organized seeing, thinking, and the symbolic representation of letters. Seeing letters and letter patterns must precede decoding. And that’s exactly the bridge we can use to make reading easier.
Introducing “Our Names Math Games(tm)”
Here’s are some simple, classroom-ready activities that connects numbers to letters to help beginning readers see words as orderly patterns:
Name Tags – Have each child wear a name tag.
Count the Letters – Ask them to count the letters in their own name. Bob has 3 letters; Elizabeth has 9. Suddenly, letters are not just random shapes—they are measurable units. It's much easier to count letters than to recognize them.
Compare and Explore
Who has the longest name? The shortest?
Are there repeating letters, like the “b” in Bob or the “e” in Elizabeth?
Who shares the same first letter?
Bridge to Phonics – Once children are comfortable counting letters, gently explore the sounds:
Do both Bs in Bob make the same sound?
Does the letter “E” sound the same in Ed and Elizabeth?
Are the double “e” letters in Elizabeth making the same sound?
By turning letters into numbers and sets, children apply math to see structure, patterns, and predictability—core concepts that underlie both math and reading.
Why It Works
Early numeracy supports literacy by helping children see letters organized in words. Counting letters transforms abstract shapes into concrete, manageable units, creating a natural bridge to seeing and then recognizing letters, the beginning of phonics and reading.
Try It in Your Classroom
This week, try Our Names Math and watch students discover patterns in letters, sounds, and names—all while reinforcing their observation skills. Then share what you notice—do longer names spark more questions? Do shared letters or even shared number of letters ignite a sense of belonging?
The best way to teach reading is to start with numbers.
Why Counting Letters Can Teach Kids to Read: Our Names Math Games Activity for Early Learners
Jon Madian
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September 24, 2025
| Post Type: Short Posts
This post shows how counting letters in names helps children see words as ordered patterns, using early numeracy to make letters less abstract and build a joyful bridge into phonics and reading.