The very first contact with English. Learners build the alphabet, sounds, numbers and a handful of survival phrases — enough to say who they are and exchange a few words.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
The alphabet & spelling
Say and recognize the 26 letter names so you can spell names, email addresses, cities, and other important information clearly.
Use after the complete A0 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →15–20 minutes optional: Tutor-read letter-name listening check · Five-minute next-day alphabet retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Say and recognize the 26 letter names so you can spell names, email addresses, cities, and other important information clearly.
What must become clear
Useful phrases for the whole lesson: How do you spell that? · Could you repeat that? · Was that B or V? · B as in Boston. · Let me read it back.
High-value friction points
- The city is spelled B-A-R-C-E-L-O-N-A.The standard written spelling has C as the fourth letter, not Z. A sound alone cannot tell you which written letter a name uses.
- The name is spelled D-A-N-I-E-L.Daniel has no K. The name Daniel is D-A-N-I-E-L. Read each letter name slowly so an extra letter does not slip in.
- Victor begins V as in Victor.The clue word Victor identifies V, not D. A repair phrase must use a clue word that begins with the intended letter.
Protect these lesson moments
- Bring earlier language into the call
- Listening check: one letter in each code
- Discovery check: which letter name fits the group?
- Drill 1: fill the missing letter
- Drill 2: match each letter to a clue word that starts with it
Learner production
A name on a call: Invent a first and last name. Say the name, then spell it letter by letter. Use a clue word if one letter is hard: M as in Mike.
- A city: Choose a city and spell it slowly. Your teacher writes it down and reads it back. Confirm or correct one letter.
- A fictional email: Create an address at example.com . Read it aloud using at , dot , underscore , or hyphen . Your teacher types it and reads it back.
- Filling a form: Role-play a front desk. One person asks "Can you spell your last name?" and "How do you spell that?" ; the other answers. Then switch.
- Information gap: Your teacher spells a city or name out loud once. Write it, then read it back to confirm. Repeat with harder words until both versions match.
Carry this language into the next session
Retrieve The alphabet & spelling in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Bring earlier language into the call” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Useful phrases for the whole lesson: How do you spell that? · Could you repeat that? · Was that B or V? · B as in Boston. · Let me read it back.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: The city is spelled B-A-R-C-E-L-O-N-A.
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
Retrieve The alphabet & spelling in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Bring earlier language into the call and Listening check: one letter in each code for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Tutor-read letter-name listening check · Five-minute next-day alphabet retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
45–55 minutes core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Bring earlier language into the call · Listening check: one letter in each code · Discovery check: which letter name fits the group?.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: Useful phrases for the whole lesson: How do you spell that? · Could you repeat that? · Was that B or V? · B as in Boston. · Let me read it back.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: The city is spelled B-A-R-C-E-L-O-N-A. The standard written spelling has C as the fourth letter, not Z. A sound alone cannot tell you which written letter a name uses.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Bring earlier language into the call · Listening check: one letter in each code · Discovery check: which letter name fits the group? · Drill 1: fill the missing letter. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: A name on a call: Invent a first and last name. Say the name, then spell it letter by letter. Use a clue word if one letter is hard: M as in Mike.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Retrieve The alphabet & spelling in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Tutor-read letter-name listening check
- Clip 1
Read: Booking code B-seven.
Supports: Booking code listen -7
- Clip 2
Read: Room code V-two.
Supports: Room code listen -2
- Clip 3
Read: File E-four.
Supports: File listen -4
- Clip 4
Read: Gate I-nine.
Supports: Gate listen -9
- Clip 5
Read: Desk G-three.
Supports: Desk listen -3
- Clip 6
Read: Order J-eight.
Supports: Order listen -8
- Clip 7
Read: Line M-five.
Supports: Line listen -5
- Clip 8
Read: Table N-six.
Supports: Table listen -6
Delivery and evidence notes
- Read naturally without the clue words first: 1. Booking code B-seven. 2. Room code V-two. 3. File E-four. 4. Gate I-nine. 5. Desk G-three. 6. Order J-eight. 7. Line M-five. 8. Table N-six.
- For a repair round, repeat each answer with its clue word: B as in Boston , V as in Victor , and so on.
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
A0 · The alphabet & spelling
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
Useful phrases for the whole lesson: How do you spell that? · Could you repeat that? · Was that B or V? · B as in Boston. · Let me read it back.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Say and recognize the 26 letter names so you can spell names, email addresses, cities, and other important information clearly.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.