After establishing goals, the team developed its own instructional activities and materials for the students and their specific needs. First, the students had to understand enough of the English language to get started, so teachers started with sheltered English, body language, lots of oral activities, games, songs, skits and puppet shows. Teachers developed their own methods for teaching phonics and phonemic awareness. Students began by studying one letter at a time, making for each a gigantic colorful wall chart that included the letter as well as objects and animals whose names start with the letter. Daily reading and writing is an important element of the program.
Students move from reading short, simple words they sound out to reading by themselves.