As part of my induction work, I designed a project focused on supporting my multilingual learners through targeted instruction in a setting similar to Designated English Language Development (DELD). During these lessons, I worked with students individually to build foundational literacy skills by focusing on the letters in their names.
I chose to begin with students’ names because they were meaningful, familiar, and motivating for young learners. Starting with the letters in their names provided an accessible entry point for multilingual learners as they developed connections between spoken language and written English. This approach allowed students to practice recognizing letters, producing their corresponding sounds, and writing their names in the correct order while building confidence with English print.
During these lessons, I used a variety of multisensory strategies and hands-on materials to support learning. Students interacted with picture cards to connect letters to familiar words and sounds, and they manipulated letter magnets by physically moving and arranging them to build their names. We also practiced identifying sounds, sequencing letters, and writing names using both modeled and independent attempts.
By providing intentional, individualized support in a focused environment, these lessons helped my multilingual learners strengthen early literacy skills while developing confidence in recognizing and using English letters and sounds.
