Alphabet Drills
1. Have pupils read the alphabet in order, pointing to each letter as it is named.
2. Have pupils point to the letters in any order as you call them.
In this drill teach them the approximate place of the letters, that is, to look for a, d, c, f, near the beginning; j, n, k, o, near the middle; t, v, w, near the end.
3. Ask such questions as, “What letter comes after m? n? d? t?”
4. Consonant Drills.
(a) Call a letter and have pupils give the sound.
(b) Sound a letter and have pupils give the name.
5. Written Work.
(a) Have pupils copy the alphabet in script from print.
(b) Have pupils write the alphabet from memory.
(c) Dictate the letters in any order and require the pupils to write them. Time the children in this exercise, encouraging them to write as rapidly as possible.
6. The Typewriter Game.
Call the alphabet on [page 1] of the child’s book the keys of a typewriter. Have the children spell words, touching the letters as the letter keys. Dictate as follows: “Write at on your typewriter.” The pupils touch a and t as they spell aloud. Then dictate cat, bat, hat. Use phonetic words or words made of letters near together in the alphabet. The object of the exercise is to find quickly the place of each letter in the alphabet, as well as to give the ability to quickly recognize the letters.