Matteen Aminpour
HimiNanbu JHS
Elementary School・Special Needs
Learn the ABCs!
Class time needed for lesson:6 class sessions
Class size taught: 10-30 students
Target audience:ES 2nd - 5th grades
Objective:Teaching all 26 capital letters to ES students in grades 2, 3, 4 and 5, as well as reviewing how to write and say the letters, and what sound each letter makes.
目的：アルファベット２６文字全ての大文字を知り、その書き方、読み方、文字の持つ音を知る
Materials:Class session 1-5: Letter work sheets.
Class session 6: Small whiteboards or chalkboards (one for each student), writing utensils (whiteboard marker or chalk), erasers.
Procedure:Class session 1-5: Teach the letters 5 at a time (I teach the last 6 letters all together), in correct order.
For example: I first write ‘A’ on the board, while saying “A.” I then write it again while showing the correct way that the letter should be written. Next, I have the students trace the letter on their sheet, and then practice it 2 times on their own. Once they’re finished writing, I teach them the sound that the letter makes. Finally, I teach them a few simple words using that week’s letters (or already known letters, if in a later week). For example, you could teach the word “HIDE” in week two. (I always tell them the Japanese translation as well).
Class session 6:This class is more of a fun review. I give all the kids a board, a marker, and an eraser, and then start with the first student by class number. I tell this kid a random letter (for example, M) and have them tell me the next letter in alphabetical order. Once the kids says the correct letter, all of the students write that letter on their board, and then hold it up for confirmation from the ALT or HRT. The activity is finished once they have written all 26 letters. Of course, whenever you reach Z, cycle back to A.
I tend to follow up this activity with a game. My personal favorite is having the students trace a letter onto their friend’s back, and then having the friend guess what letter it is.
Additional information: This lesson works well because the students are covering all the bases: reading, writing, phonics, and even listening. Moreover, it takes time! If you are an ES ALT in charge of planning and running lessons primarily by yourself, this lesson will last you a good 5-6 classes. I personally like this lesson because you can easily speed it up or slow it down based on your class’s ability. If you need more time, try teaching only 3 or 4 letters a week. On the other hand, if your kids are doing well/ getting bored, try teaching 6 or 7 letters a week.