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Absolute Beginner The Alphabet

Learning the English alphabet in class — Erik Isakson / Getty Images

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Updated on March 22, 2018

At this point learners need to be able to use the alphabet in order to assimilate new vocabulary and ask spelling questions about new vocabulary they will be learning in future lessons. You should take in an alphabet chart for this lesson, this chart should have pictures of various objects beginning with the various letters of the alphabet (pre-schoolers alphabet books would work well in this situation).

Alphabete List

Teacher: (Read the alphabet list slowly, pointing to pictures as you speak. The following list is just an example, make sure to use something with pictures if possible. )

A as in "apple"
B as in "boy"
C as in "car"
D as in "dog"
E as in "ear"
F as in "flag"
G as in "great"
H as in "house"
I as in "insect"
J as in "joy"
K as in "kind"
L as in "light"
M as in "magic"
N as in "night"
O as in "orchestra"
P as in "people"
Q as in "question"
R as in "red"
S as in "sure"
T as in "truck"
U as in "unique"
V as in "video"
W as in "wow"
X as in "xerox"
Y as in "yes"
Z as in "zebra"

Teacher: Repeat after me (Model the idea of repeating after me, thus giving the students a new class instruction that they will understand in the future.)

A as in "apple"
B as in "boy"
C as in "car"
D as in "dog"
E as in "ear"
F as in "flag"
G as in "great"
H as in "house"
I as in "insect"
J as in "joy"
K as in "kind"
L as in "light"
M as in "magic"
N as in "night"
O as in "orchestra"
P as in "people"
Q as in "question"
R as in "red"
S as in "sure"
T as in "truck"
U as in "unique"
V as in "video"
W as in "wow"
X as in "xerox"
Y as in "yes"
Z as in "zebra"

Student(s): (Repeat the above with the teacher)

Spelling Names

Teacher: Please write your name. (Model the following new class instruction by writing your name on a piece of paper. )

Teacher: Please write your name. (You may have to gesture to students to take a piece of paper out and write their names.)

Student(s): (Students write their names on a piece of paper)

Teacher: My name is Ken. K - E - N (Model spelling your name.). What is your name?(Gesture to a student.)

Student(s): My name is Gregory. G - R - E - G - O - R - Y

Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said.