Many adult ESL learners have had limited education and, even in their native languages, have limited literacy skills. For many, the concept of alphabetical order is unknown. However, alphabetical order is a basic organizing system of our society, and one that everyone living in society must master. We use it to organize names in the phone book, to organize files in filing systems, to organize inventory in our businesses, to organize parts in our repair shops. Our ESL students should be able to find a name in a phone book. They should also be able to properly retrieve equipment or parts from a supply room, a task they might be asked to do on a job. How can we prepare them to perform such tasks when they leave our classrooms?
Alphabetical order should be approached in steps, something like this:
Step 1:Teach the alphabet in whatever increments your students need. You may have to teach just a couple of letters every day. Some students can learn the alphabet quickly, in a matter of days. Some students will need several weeks or even months.
Step 2: Use the alphabet song, “disappearing alphabet”, “Hype Up” or any other method you feel comfortable with to teach the correct order of the letters of the alphabet.
disappearing alphabet: Write the alphabet on the board. When the students can easily recite it, start erasing the letters one or two at a time and see if they can supply the missing letters themselves.
exaggerate: Go around the room and ask each student to provide a letter of the alphabet, in order. This forces them to listen to the student in front of them, to think fast, and to provide the correct letter quickly. It also increases the energy level!)
Step 3: Introduce the hyphen as a writing convention that means “and everything else.” For example, AD stands for A, D, and everything else. That is, AD = A, B, C, and D. Give students practice with this notation.
Step 4:Provide examples of real-world situations for practice. For example, I have created “letter packs” that I ask students to review. They need to make sure all the “parts” are in the package. If a “part” is missing, they have to tell me. And then they need to place the piece in the package, in its correct position. I have also created “parts boxes”, labeled AG, HQ, etc. Then I give the students “parts” (perhaps pictures of a cat (“C”) or a hammer (“H”)), which they have to put in the correct box. Now the students are getting a sense of the many shapes in that alphabetizing applies to their everyday lives. Of course, it’s just a start. Next, they should learn to alphabetize by the first two letters of a word (for example, Debbie and Doug) and then by the first three and four lyrics.(Fred, Frank) (Kathy, Kate).
The teaching of alphabetical order can continue for many months. Have fun with it.