The ABC Song (Alphabet Song)

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The ABC Song

Song Theme: Saying the alphabet
Target Vocab: Letters A-Z
Song Length: 1:02

The classic song for learning the alphabet.  The song runs through the alphabet twice. Here is a sample:

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Lyrics:

Verse 1:
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W and X Y Z

I can sing my ABCs,
Won’t you sing along with me?

Verse 2:
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W and X Y Z

I can sing my ABCs,
Won’t you sing along with me?

Gestures and activities to use with the ABC Song

There are a number of gestures or actions you can use with this song.  Here are a few ideas:

• Simply have your students clap along or pat their laps as they sing the song.

• Print out our Song Poster and give to each student. As they sing along they point to each letter.
• Give letter shapes or blocks to students.  After they have arranged them in the right order have them touch each letter as they sing the song.
• Make an A4 poster of each letter and attach them to the walls of the classroom.  Make sure they go all around the 4 walls of your room in alphabetical sequence. As the song is played have your students point to each letter
• Prepare flashcards of each letter of the alphabet. Give them out in order to your students and make sure each student has approximately the same number of letters.  As the song is played the student with the letter holds it up in the air (so the first student holds the letter “A” up as the letter “A” is sung, the second student “B” is held up as letter “B” is sung, and so on, down the line of students).
• Prepare flashcards of each letter of the alphabet. Give them out randomly to each student and make sure each student has approximately the same number of letters.  As the song is played the student with the letter holds it up in the air (so the student with the “A” letter holds it up as the letter “A” is sung, then “B” is held up as letter “B” is sung, and so on, so letters will be popping up and down all around the class). This is fast and furious so this activity is best done with classes who have had enough time to learn the alphabet.

Using The ABC Song in class

When teaching the letters of the alphabet this song is a must!  It can be used to introduce this section of your lesson and also as practice as the end.  Here are some guidelines you can use when teaching the alphabet:

1. Play the ABC Song as an introduction to this part of the lesson and have your students sing along, clap or pat their laps in time with the music.
2. Depending on the age and level of your students you can teach from 1 up to 4 or 5 new letters each lesson.  First, hold up an alphabet letter flashcard (e.g. the “a” letter) so all of your students can see it.
3. Chorus the letter 3 to 5 times. Then ask each S individually to say the letter.
4. Teach the sound of the letter (e.g. “A is for ‘ah’ … ah – ah – ah”).  Chorus again and check individually.
5. Provide an example of an object that begins with the letter.  Double-sided flashcards with the letter on one side and a picture on the other are great for this.  (e.g. “What’s this?” (elicit “A”).  “And A is for…?” (elicit “ah”).  “And ‘ah’ is for … (turning the card over) “apple!”.  Chorus the word and check individually.
6. Do a final check (T: “What’s this?”, Ss: “A”, T: “And ‘A’ is for…?”, Ss: “ah”, T: “And ‘ah’ is for…?” Ss: “Apple!”).
7. Next, do one of the following small activities and change these activities with each letter (or set of letters) to provide a bit a variety:

   – Magic finger: hold the flashcard letter up in front of each S and let them trace the letter on the card with their ‘magic’ finger.  Then the T, using his/her magic finger, traces the letter in the air and the Ss follow suit.   The T and the Ss can then use their magic fingers to trace the letter on all sorts of fun places.  E.g. T: “Draw ‘P’ on your hand.  Now on the floor.  Now on your partner’s back.  Now on your cheek.  Now on the wall.  Now on your foot” etc.  Finally, if you have posters on the walls get the Ss to find examples of the letter in the posters.

   – Pass It: sit with your Ss in a circle.  T holds up a flashcard letter and says the letter (e.g. “A”).  T passes it on to the next S who also says it and passes it on to the next S.  Variations: change directions, speed rounds, have many flashcard letters going round at the same time.

   – Slam: lay the flashcard letters on the floor (the ones that have been taught up to this point) and tell Ss to raise their hands.  T says one letter and the Ss have to slam their hands onto the correct card (if things get a bit boisterous change the game to “Soft Touch”).

   – Close your eyes: lay the flashcard letters on the floor (the ones that have been taught up to this point) and tell Ss to close and cover their eyes with their hands. T removes one letter and then says “Open your Eyes”. Ss have to shout out the missing letter.

   – Find it: T holds up a letter flashcard and the Ss search around the room for an object beginning with that letter.  (e.g. A – arm, B – book, C – clock).  You can also do this activity by spreading picture flashcards around the classroom and having Ss find the picture that has the correct first letter.

   – Slow motion: T holds a pack of alphabet flashcards with the letters facing towards him/her.  The last card should be turned around so the letter is facing the Ss but is hidden as it is behind the pack.  Slowly pull the flashcard up inch by inch so the Ss can only see part of the letter.  As the letter is slowly revealed Ss try to guess what it is.  The first S to guess correctly keeps the card (for 1 point).  Variation: To make it a little more difficult turn each letter flashcard upside down.

8. Give out worksheets for your Students to do which practice the new letters they have learned today.
9. End with the ABC song.  Students can sing along and do any of the gestures explained in “Gestures and activities to use with the ABC Song” above.