No matter if you are a native English speaker or you are learning English as a second language (ESL), learning the letters of the alphabet is the first phase of reading and writing instruction. Once students are able to identify the letters of the alphabet, they are able to progress to learning letter-sound recognition and then can combine letters to form words. If you are a teacher of ESL students, there are a variety of tactics that you can employ to teach the alphabet.

Sing the alphabet song in English. Point to each of the letters on an alphabet chart as you sing them.

Encourage students to identify individual letters on the alphabet chart. State a letter of the alphabet in English and have students point out the letter you stated.

Provide students with alphabet magnets. State a letter of the alphabet in English. Ask students to sort through their alphabet magnets to locate the letter you have stated. Alternatively, you can ask students to sort each letter of the alphabet into individual piles.

Print the letters of the alphabet on index cards. Place the cards in a jumbled up pile. Instruct students to sort through the cards and arrange them in alphabetical order.

Provide students with dry-erase boards and dry-erase markers. State a letter of the alphabet. Upon stating the letter of the alphabet, students should write it on their dry-erase boards.

Print the letters of the alphabet in jumbled order on paper; print several lines of letters. Provide students with different colored crayons. Have them circle all of the same letters of the alphabet with the same colored crayon. For example, instruct them to circle the letter A's with blue crayons, the B's with yellow crayons and so forth.

Print the letters of the alphabet on index cards. Hide the index cards around the classroom. State a letter of the alphabet and instruct students to search for the letter you have stated.

Spread letter cards on the ground. State a letter of the alphabet and have students pick up the letter card you have stated.