Many adult ESL students 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 organizational system of our society, and everyone who lives in society must dominate. We use it to organize names in the phone book, to organize files in file 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 successfully retrieve equipment or parts from a supply room, a task they might have to do on a job. How can we prepare them for such tasks when they leave our classrooms?
The alphabetical order should be approached in steps, something like this:
Step 1:Teach the alphabet in the increments your students need. You may only have to teach 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 whatever other method you are comfortable with to teach the correct order of letters in the alphabet.
Disappearing alphabet: Write the alphabet on the board. When students can easily recite it, start erasing the letters one or two at a time and see if they can provide the missing letters themselves.
Hype up: Go around the room, asking 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 quickly provide the correct letter. It also increases the energy level!)
Step 3: Enter the hyphen as a writing convention that means “and everything in between.” For example, AD stands for A, D, and everything else. That is, AD = A, B, C, and D. Let students practice with this notation.
Step 4:Provide examples of real-world situations to practice. For example, I have created “alphabet packs”, which I ask students to verify. They must make sure that all the “parts” are in the package. If a “part” is missing, they must tell me. And then they have to put the part in the package, in its correct position. I have also created “part boxes”, labeled AG, HQ, and so on. Then I give the students “parts” (maybe pictures of a cat (“C”) or a hammer (“H), which they have to put in the correct box. Now the students are getting an idea of the many ways how alphabetical order applies to their everyday lives. Of course, this is just the beginning. 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 letters (Fred, Frank) (Kathy, Kate).
Teaching in alphabetical order can continue for many months. Have fun with it.