Start with tagging and basic principles. HTML requires students memorize signs, symbols and words. Introduce rules of language syntax, as well. Use open and closed angle brackets around key letters such as "<html>" or "<p>," (the <html> tag tells a computer a Web page is about to start, while the <p> tag tells the computer that a paragraph is going to appear) for example. Place forward slashes to complete a markup command like this:
"<html><p>Text here will appear on a Web page.</p></html>."
Understand HTML syntax requires that you place items in a certain order. Practice HTML in the classroom by making students write down HTML code in the proper order. Do this on a classroom projector, whiteboard or have students use their own sheets of paper. Expand the markup vocabulary as students progress in ability.
Use multiple workstations. Open the "Notepad" feature on the classroom computers. It is a text program that allows novice HTML users to make their own static Web pages quite cheaply and easily. Have the students type "<html>" at the top of the page, then "</html> at the bottom, and then have them type "<p>" underneath, then "</p>" just under that. Tell them to save the work to the desktop with an dot html (.html) extension. Review the student work at the instructor workstation. Opt to work with students individually as the need arises.
Practice opening and closing pages. Reopen a Web page from a desktop. Double-click the page's desktop icon. Review the material that appears afterward. Adjust Web page items by right-clicking on the icon, choose "Open With," then "Notepad." Teach students about how to place a link into a Web page at this point. Perform this task as singular or multiple lessons. Use HTML code in this order:
<html><a href="http://www.webpagenamehere.com"></a>.