Fast Track to Reading: Accelerated Learning for EFL and ESOL Learners

Fast Track to Reading is an accelerated reading programme designed for adult learners of English who are not readily able to read the Roman alphabet. It can be used for students who cannot read at all and for students who cannot cope with reading at speed.

It is designed for adult learners of English who already have a concept of reading: those who can read and write in a linear phonetic language such as Arabic or Farsi, and those who are conversant with pictographic languages such as Mandarin or Cantonese. However, it can also be used with students who have yet to gain a concept of reading.

Fast Track to Reading can be used before starting a course where reading is an integral element, or as a reading element in parallel with a simple starter-level course. In mixed ability classes where only some students are unfamiliar with the English alphabet, the programme can be used for self-study outside class.

Key Features

• Designed to facilitate decoding of Roman script
• For students who are learning to read in English and for students who cannot cope with reading at speed
• Accelerates learning in a programmed manner
• Can be used in parallel with a simple starter level English course
• Contains global reading to enhance relevance and motivation
• Audio CD for further self-study or homework
• Comprehensive teaching notes

Contents include:

• short vowels and consonants,
• two letter representing one sound,
• long vowels,
• consonant clusters,
• vowel + consonant + vowel,
• the names of the letters,
• long vowels and their relation to consonants,
• alternative vowel sounds for the same spelling,
• silent letters

Fast Track to Reading – Arabic Notes pdf file

Contents

Introduction
How do I use the activities in the classroom?
Using the course for self-guided study
Phonetic chart
Demonstration: Try it out

Short vowels and consonants
Unit 1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Unit 2: A T I N
Unit 3: E P
Unit 4: M D
Unit 5: O
Unit 6: G V
Unit 7: H L
Unit 8: U C
Unit 9: B S
Unit 10: R
Unit 11: Y W J
Unit 12: F X Z

Two letters representing one sound
Unit 13: K CK
Unit 14: QU TH WH
Unit 15: SH CH TCH

Long vowels
Unit 16: OO
Unit 17: EE EA
Unit 18: BE ME
Unit 19: AY AI
Unit 20: NO OA~ OE.
Unit 21: AR

Consonant clusters
Unit 22: ST~ ~ST
Unit 23: CR TR
Unit 24: BR DR FR GR PR

Vowel + consonant + vowel (lengthens first vowel)
Unit 25: A~E
Unit 26: I~E
Unit 27: O~E

The names of the letters
Unit 28: A B C D E

Consonant clusters
Unit 29: BL CL FL GL PL SL
Unit 30: ~ND ~NK ~NT ~NCH
Unit 31: SC SK SM SN SP SW
Unit 32: ~NG

Long vowels
Unit 33: OR ORE AW
Unit 34: OW OU
Unit 35: ~Y
Unit 36: OY ~OI~
Unit 37: IR UR OR

Soft c
Unit 38: ~CE CE~ CI~

Vowels and their relation to consonants
Unit 39: ~ER
Unit 40: EER EAR ERE
Unit 41: AIR ~ARE
Unit 42: EW UE
Unit 43: ~ELL ~ILL ~ALL ~ULL
Unit 44: ~IGHT ~OUGHT ~AUGHT ~EIGHT
Unit 45: U~E
Unit 46: ~(TT)LE ~(T)LE
Unit 47: ~OLD ~OULD
Unit 48: TH TH~ ~TH ~THE
Unit 49: 1 2 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH
Unit 50: STR SPR SCR
Unit 51: ~NGLE ~NDLE ~MBLE ~MPLE
Unit 52: ~GE GE~

Alternative vowel sounds for the same spelling
Unit 53: O OU OW

Silent consonants
Unit 54: PH ~GH
Unit 55: KN GN WR WH

The names of the letters
Unit 56: EA AI EY EIR ARE ERE IRE

Handwriting paper