Edutainment: 1668

A very pretty and ready way to teach Children or others suddenly to learn their ABC in manner of play.

Cause four pieces of Bone or Wood to be cut into six square-like Dice, and upon every side or square let one of the letters of the Alphabet be ingraven or writ, ABCDEF upon one of them, then GHIKLM on the other, and so of the rest in order, as you may see in the Figure.

Now the Child taking delight, and using to play with them (amongst other Children) and being told what Letters are uppermost, will soon learn their Aphabet, as it were by the way of sport and pastime.

--From A Rich Cabinet--

Let's be new and innovative, let's make learning fun!

Like they did in the 17th century.

Also of interest to those teaching reading: this chapter where teaching by highlighting syllables is suggested if using a system based on letters doesn't work. No big fuss was made about it.