Uppercase or lowercase letters in children's books - which supports learning to read better?
- Mari-Ann Meigo Fonseca
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
When it comes to children's books, sooner or later, both parents and publishers will be faced with the question: should the text be in uppercase letters or lowercase letters? This is no trivial detail, as the typeface directly affects how easy or difficult it is for a child to start reading and – more importantly – whether they enjoy reading.
Estonian practice: capital letters come first
In Estonia, it is quite common to start learning to read with uppercase letters . We also see the same trend in kindergartens – printed letters are often understood more quickly by children. This is what happened with my own son. Uppercase letters are clearly shaped, separate and easy to recognize at first glance. But the main thing is - we are simply used to starting with uppercase letters.
While making books, I have also heard feedback from several friends and acquaintances: "Shouldn't these be in capital letters?" It was this question that made me delve deeper into the topic.
What do scientists say?
However, research revealed something interesting. Scientists have found that learning to read could start with lowercase letters. This was also written about in an article in Postimees .
The same idea has been emphasized by Andra Kütt from Tallinn University , who points out in the instructional materials of the Estonian Children's Literature Center that lowercase letters are actually easier to read and require less effort from the child. Letters form a smooth whole, the eye moves more naturally through the text, and reading is less interrupted.
Uppercase letters, on the other hand, are visually more "chopped up" - each letter seems to stand alone. With longer text, reading in printed letters becomes tiring and difficult - for both children and adults.
I also highly recommend watching Andra Küt's lecture "On the Development of a Child as a Reader" , which opens up the topic calmly and thoroughly:
Montessori perspective: movement, hand and fluidity
The use of letters is also supported by Montessori pedagogy. In the Montessori approach, learning to read does not begin with recognizing letters on paper, but through movement and manual experience .
The child first learns to write letters – often using sandpaper letters, which can be traced with a finger. The Montessori method uses lowercase letters (more precisely, cursive letters) because they support natural hand movements and smooth writing. When the child is already technically ready to write, reading also comes easier, because the shape and movement of the letters have been “learned” with the body.
The Montessori principle is that reading and writing go hand in hand, and that the child should move naturally from the simpler to the more complex. Here too, the focus is on effortless learning and the experience of success, not speed or formal results.
Accessible text = a sense of achievement
The accessibility of texts is key to learning to read. When a child feels that they can cope and learn something new with each page, they will have a sense of achievement – and this is the basis for motivation. However, vocabulary that is too complex or spelling that is difficult to read can quickly reduce interest in reading.
Based on this principle, I have also created my books: simple, child-friendly sentences , a calm text rhythm, and a logical structure. The goal is to make reading not an effort, but a pleasant and inspiring experience.
"Friends Around the World" books are intended primarily for children aged 3-7 , and are particularly suitable for children who are just starting to read, maintaining enough excitement and providing a sense of success in reading. At the same time, children are different and have multifaceted interests:
Even younger children will be interested in realistic and detailed pictures,
For slightly older children , however, content that supports the discovery of the world is more exciting.
In conclusion
Although learning to read in block letters is a habit for us, research, the experiences of specialists, and Montessori pedagogy show that letters support the reading process holistically in the long term . Smoother reading, less effort, and a greater sense of success – these are worth striving for right from the beginning of a child's reading journey.
Ultimately, however, the question is not just about the letters, but about how to make reading something joyful, exciting, and achievable for a child .
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