Is a faster pace of letter instruction associated with other teaching practices?

The past few years have seen a shift towards a faster pace of letter instruction in Norwegian firstgradeclassrooms. Introducing the letters faster has the potential to alter teaching practices moregenerally, not only by freeing up time for more individually adapted literacy instruction but alsoby making it possible for students to start reading and writing texts earlier. The aim of the presentstudy is to investigate whether the pace of letter instruction is associated with the amount oftime devoted to various other relevant teaching practices. Information about the pace of letterinstruction and about other teaching practices was provided, through questionnaires completed inDecember and June, by 51 Norwegian first-grade teachers who finished letter instruction at varioustimes between September and June. The results indicate that introducing the letters faster reallydoes affect other teaching practices, mainly in the second semester, in that more time is devotedto students’ writing, greater use is made of levelled books and less time is spent on worksheets andon handwriting practice. However, there would seem to be room for teachers to further exploit theopportunities that arise when the letters are introduced faster.