The alphabetic principle is the understanding that written language is a code for sounds. It is also a critical component of reading and writing. Without this understanding, students will struggle to become proficient readers (Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print by Marilyn Jager Adams, 1994).For English learners, understanding the relationship between the English phonemes (sounds) & graphemes (letters), is the first step in building up the skills required for decoding (readi