Learning the alphabet should be spread out over several class periods. Introduce only 4-5 letters (uppercase) at a time. Learners should not be expected to master the alphabet all at once. Letters can be cut out of construction paper and should be at least four inches high. Post a chart of the whole alphabet during each class.

1. Point to the letter "A" on the alphabet chart and say, "This is the letter 'A.'"
2. Write the letter "A" on the board and say, "This is the letter 'A.'"
3. Hold up the cutout letter "A" and say, "This is the letter 'A.'"
4. Hold up the letter and ask the students, "What letter is this?" Have the students respond, "A."
5. Repeat steps "a-d" until all letters of the alphabet are introduced. This will take several class periods.
6. Once the uppercase letters have been introduced, teach the lowercase letters in a similar manner. Use the words "Capital A" and "Small A."

Learners need to learn the sounds of the letters in English. Begin with the consonants. It is helpful to begin with the consonants that the learners are most familiar with-from their names or common words they have been studying. Introduce a few sounds each class period.

1. Point to or hold up the letter "B." Ask the students, "What letter is this?" Have them respond, "B."
2. Say, "The letter is "B"; the sound is /b/."
3. Say, "This is the letter "B." Ask, "What is the sound?" Have the students respond /b/ (sound of the letter, not the name).
4. Repeat with other consonants.

Beginning literacy learners whose native language is not English have additional barriers to learning to read that most native speakers do not have. English language learners often have a limited oral vocabulary (Burt, Peyton, & Adams, 2003). Yet they need to be able to read common words that they see every day or are learning in class, even if they do not know all the letters of the alphabet. Teaching sight words is a technique that can be used with this level learner every time new vocabulary words are introduced. Because a learner needs to know 95-98 percent of the words in a text to be able to predict from context (Qian, 1999), teaching vocabulary through context clues has limited success with adult English language learners. Therefore, teaching words before they appear in a text is recommended. The following technique can be used with literacy- and beginning-level learners whenever new vocabulary words are introduced.

1. Make two sets of flash cards: one set of five or six vocabulary items to be practiced and the other depicting visuals of the words.