Provide as many alphabet models in the classroom as possible. Hang large alphabet letters or an alphabet chart along the wall at preschooler eye level. Encourage students to finger trace the letters or copy letter shapes on pieces of paper. Fill your classroom library with alphabet books. Invite preschoolers to pick an alphabet book for you to read aloud at least once a week. Sing the alphabet song as often as you can. While singing the alphabet song, invite preschoolers to point to the letters to help associate the letter name with the letter shape.
Provide alphabet puzzles and large letter tiles, such as magnetic letters or wooden letter cutouts, for preschoolers to use. Help students match the uppercase to lowercase letters in alphabet puzzles. Complete puzzles that match a letter to a picture that starts with that letter, such as placing the letter "e" over a picture of an elephant. Use letter tiles to help preschoolers spell their names or words they see around the classroom such as dog, cat or tree. Take time to point to each letter and say the letter name aloud when students are building words such as "D-O-G" spells dog or "T-Y-L-E-R" spells Tyler.
Encourage preschoolers to make letter shapes with different kinds of media. For example, when studying the letter "C" provide an outline of the letter "C" on a sheet of paper. Invite preschoolers to color, paint or fill in the letter "C" by gluing down cereal or dried beans inside the outline. Let them write the letter "C" in sand, shaving cream or pudding on a tray. Write letters with chalk or finger paints on large sheets of paper. Provide play dough, cookie dough, clay, cooked spaghetti or yarn dipped in wax for students to form letter shapes.
Connect letter names to letter sounds through the use of food, crafts and movement. When studying the letter "A," have apples, applesauce or animal crackers for snack. Make paper plate apples with a hole cut in the center for students to slip their fingers through like a worm. Make alligator masks or paper bag alligators. Have students pretend to be ants, alligators or airplanes and move around the room. During these activities point out the letter "A" and the sound it makes at the beginning of words like apple, ants, animal and alligator.