HOW TO TEACH THE ALPHABET TO ADULT ESL STUDENTS
Teaching the alphabet to adult ESL students is tricky — but it doesn’t have to be. In this post, we’ll talk about how to teach the alphabet to adult students, the challenges teachers face, and the resources available to teach this topic. We’ll also discuss ideas for group and one-on-one lessons, and activities to make this topic more challenging for more advanced learners.
Teach the English alphabet — without songs and cartoons
These days, English classes have never been so popular. Many English language teachers prefer teaching adult learners — they tend to be more attentive, they are more motivated to learn and they know how to use the mute button (most of the time). Some would say teaching adults is easier, but have you ever had to teach an adult the English alphabet? Think about it — how do you teach adults the English alphabet without songs and colorful cartoons?
If you are working with kids, you have plenty of resources available online — YouTube videos, fun songs, coloring sheets — the list is endless. Can you use these resources in a language classroom full of adults? Probably not — unless you don’t mind nervous laughter and funny looks. The alphabet is a foundational skill that is often overlooked in the ESL classroom — but not anymore. Off2class has put together this fantastic three-part resource to help you teach this tricky topic.
When to teach the alphabet
Nowadays, more students than ever are opting for English courses. Some are required to do so because of their job or school, and some are just eager to learn. Now, unless your student is a total beginner, you might feel uncomfortable introducing this lesson to your student. Don’t be! An easy way to introduce this topic to your student is to ask them to verbally recite their email address. Unless they are comfortable with the English alphabet, chances are they will have issues doing this. This is your chance to work with them on this very important skill.
How to use these lessons to teach the alphabet
Off2class has prepared a three-part lesson plan that will help your student master the English alphabet in no time!
Lesson 1 introduces the alphabet in sequential order from A-Z.
Download the free lesson plan here:
https://www.off2class.com/lesson-plan-downloads/how-to-teach-the-alphabet-to-adult-esl-students/
Lesson 2 changes it up a bit. You’ll work on letters out of sequential order while learning vocabulary.
Download the free lesson plan here:
https://www.off2class.com/lesson-plan-downloads/how-to-teach-the-alphabet-to-adult-esl-students/
Lesson 3 introduces spelling exercises to challenge your students’ knowledge of each letter.
Download the free lesson plan here:
For group lessons:
For group classes, start with part one and have the students recite the alphabet in full. They may feel like kids again, but that’s okay! Encourage each participant to come up with other simple nouns that begin with each letter and create a handy vocabulary list. Work through the lesson, focusing on the correct pronunciation of each letter. Then move on to part two, which encourages recognition of the letters out sequential order — an important skill for spelling. Continue working on your vocabulary list and pronunciation together. In part three, students are challenged to verbally spell out simple vocabulary words. By this point, your students will be more comfortable than ever with the English alphabet!
For one-on-one classes:
For individual lessons, you will follow a similar method as you would for group classes. When teaching one-on-one you are able to focus on the student’s weaknesses a bit more in-depth.
Begin with the first lesson in this series, and have the student recite the alphabet without your help. They may know a handful of letters, they may confuse some letters, or they might not know where to begin. Don’t fret! Take note of which letters cause your student issues and focus on those. Ask your student to come up with other simple nouns for their vocabulary list. Focus on the correct pronunciation of each letter. Then, move on to part two and practice the alphabet non-sequentially. By part three, your student will be an expert in the English alphabet, and they will be able to spell with ease. Your student will be more confident than ever
Be patient — and creative!
For more advanced learners, you can make these lessons as challenging as you’d like. For example, you can have your students find words that rhyme with the words provided in the lesson, or you can have them find new vocabulary words with more difficult criteria, such as nouns with double “l”. The options are endless so let your creativity guide you! However, it is important to be patient. The alphabet might be tricky for some students, especially if they have been saying letters incorrectly for a long time.
Review, review, review!
For both group classes and individual classes, it is important to constantly review this topic with your student. Don’t worry — it can be as easy as a 2-minute warm-up activity at the beginning of class. I love asking my students to share their favorite foods, singers, or football players from their home countries. Each time you do this, have them spell out the word for you. They won’t even realize they are doing a review exercise!
Teaching the alphabet to adults doesn’t have to be an awkward experience — it can actually be really fun. Use these ready-to-go lesson plans for your in-person or online classroom and watch your students develop the confidence to succeed!
If you found these lessons helpful, check out Off2Class’s Lesson Library. There are hundreds of ready-to-teach lessons, complete with teacher notes, homework assignments, and a placement test that will make teaching English a breeze! Let us know how you used this lesson in your ESL classroom. We love to hear your ideas, and we love feedback!
