# A Phonics Sequence for Adult ESL Literacy

A suggested order, based on common systematic synthetic phonics sequences: early sets let learners build many
words quickly. Teach letter sounds (not names) first; add letter names when learners need to spell aloud (forms,
phone calls).

| Set | Graphemes | Example words learners can read |
|-----|-----------|---------------------------------|
| 1 | s a t p i n | sat, pin, tap, nap, sit, pan, tin, sip |
| 2 | m d g o c k | dog, cat, mop, kid, dig, cod |
| 3 | ck e u r | back, red, sun, run, neck, rock |
| 4 | h b f l (ff ll ss) | hat, bus, fan, bell, less, off, hill |
| 5 | j v w x y z (zz) qu | jam, van, wet, box, yes, zip, quiz |
| 6 | ch sh th ng nk | chip, shop, thin, ring, bank |
| 7 | consonant clusters (st, sp, tr, pl, nd, mp...) | stop, plan, hand, lamp, trip |
| 8 | ai ee igh oa oo | rain, feet, night, coat, food |
| 9 | ar or ur ow oi ear air er | car, fork, turn, cow, coin, hear, hair, letter |
| 10 | split digraphs a_e i_e o_e u_e e_e | name, time, home, use, these |
| 11 | alternative spellings (ay, ea, ie, ow, ew, y) | day, sea, pie, slow, new, my |

## High-frequency sight words (taught as wholes alongside the sets)

Early: I, the, a, to, is, my, you, he, she, we, me, be, no, go, of, are, was, do, said, have, like, come, some,
one, here, there, where, what, who, they, your, all, out, want, from.

Functional sight words for adults: name, address, phone, date, birth, street, exit, toilet, push, pull, open,
closed, bus, stop, doctor, school, help.

## Teaching a new grapheme

1. Say words with the sound (oral; pictures of real objects).
2. Show the grapheme; say the sound; show the mouth shape.
3. Learners trace, then write it (lines with a clear baseline; large size first).
4. Blend words using taught graphemes; then segment words for spelling.
5. Read a short decodable text and write a dictated sentence.

## Making decodable adult texts

- Use only taught graphemes plus taught sight words (`decodable_check.py` shows the gaps).
- Adult topics: work, family, shopping, health, the bus, the clinic.
- Short sentences with repetition: *Sam has a bag. The bag is red. Sam gets the bus.*
- Real names learners know (their own, with permission) and photos of real places.