Why the alphabet song might have changed in some classrooms

There might be a new alphabet song on the block. Feeling old yet?

An updated version of the alphabet song that helps young children memorize letters is going viral on TikTok amid back-to-school season. Adults who are hearing the tune from their kids are homing in on the biggest change — the scramble of L-M-N-O-P that apparently many adults remember fondly.

In the new song, L-M-N-O-P is no longer highlighted as a section. The tune goes H-I-J-K-L-M-N, pause, O-P-Q, pause, R-S-T, and so on, as explained by TikTok user @mamadontbreak in one popular video filmed from the front seat of her vehicle with her child in the back.

The song also ends with, “Now I never will forget, how to sing the alphabet,” instead of, “Now I know my ABCs.” Her video explaining the change has racked up more than 11 million views.

“They changed it because so many children have gotten confused with the L-M-N-O-P. I remember I used to think it was one letter for a minute there until someone broke it down for me,” said the woman in the video.

Still, this version hasn’t reached all classrooms. St. Cloud-area kindergarten teacher Jennifer Squires said in an email that she hadn’t heard the new song, although she understands why an educator might change the words.

“My insight into that is that some teachers are using this song [to] make sure kids are hearing each letter as an individual. But honestly, I have not heard of any schools using it or parents sharing that their kids are learning it that way,” Squires said.

Her preference is to teach the alphabet song from the PBS Kids show ”Super Why.”

While the updated song is causing such a storm of emotions online, the tune may not be very new after all. The song has been a part of the McGraw Hill Open Court Reading program since it was acquired about three decades ago, according to a spokesperson at the textbook publisher.

“Have students talk about how this version is different from other versions they have learned,” reads a textbook page with the words and tune to the “Alphabet Song.”

The version was posted to the educational YouTube channel Dream English Kids in 2012. Other popular videos with the updated song have trended on social media a few times since 2019.