First-time literacy is more than learning the alphabet—it is the development of interconnected language and multimodal communication skills that empower people to participate fully in their communities, workplaces, and daily lives.

World Relief's Foundations of Literacy curriculum meets adult English learners with emerging literacy skills where they are and guides them toward meaningful progress. Research-based, carefully scaffolded lessons help learners build foundational multiliteracy and English language skills while supporting persistence and improving retention. With engaging, ready-to-use activities and time-saving instructional resources, educators can spend less time planning and more time transforming lives through literacy.

Shape

A curriculum in a class of its own

Foundations of Literacy makes no assumptions about learners' prior literacy, schooling, or English proficiency. Whether students are learning English, attending school, or holding a pencil for the first time, educators receive a clear roadmap for developing the integrated skills needed for success.

  • Comprehensive materials and teacher guidance
  • Multilevel, multisensory activities
  • Ready-to-use multimedia slide decks
  • A clear screener and placement tool
  • Integrated digital activities

Purchase the Curriculum

The three components of every unit

Learners apply their growing language and literacy skills across three essential content areas designed to develop multiple forms of literacy.

TIME & NUMERACY

Students build the skills to understand and use numbers, quantities, and time in everyday situations.

LIFE TOPICS & PERSONAL INFO

Students build oral language, metalinguistic awareness, graphic literacy, and print literacy through meaningful, real-world content and personal connections.

ALPHABETICS

Students develop foundational knowledge of letter names, shapes, and sounds while learning to blend and segment phonemes to read and write simple words.

Eight ready-to-use units


Click the icons to explore what's in each unit.
Classroom
Housing
Family + People
Daily Activities
Body + Health
Food
Clothing
Community

Hear experiences from real teachers

"You could see the light bulb come on...because it was accessible to her in a new way."

Liz Stickel ESL Associate Instructor
World Relief

"One thing I love about this curriculum is all of the resources for a multilevel classroom."

Henrietta Jenkins Adult ESL Instructor
World Relief

"I used the placement test in the curriculum and immediately saw how effective it was."

Jess Roberts Education Coordinator
Birmingham Cross-Cultural Connections

Support your teachers with multi-seat access

Give every teacher on your team their own login while managing all licenses through a single account for administrative ease. Each teacher can move through the curriculum independently, even when licenses are purchased together.

Purchase just what you need

Single Unit


  Get immediate access to a single unit. Choose any unit.
 

$ 99 /year

Choose My Unit
  • Includes access to lessons and PDFs for a single unit, the Curriculum Guide, training E-Course and Placement Screener.
Value
$792

Full Curriculum Access


  Get immediate access the content in all 8 modules.
 

$ 349 /year

Purchase the Curriculum
  • Includes access to the all 8 unit lessons and PDFs, the Curriculum Guide, training E-Course and Placement Screener.

Multi-Seat Access


  15% off 3-5 licenses
  20% off 6-10 licenses
  25% off 11 or more licenses

15-25% off

Get Multiple Licenses
  • Includes access to the all 8 unit lessons and PDFs, the Curriculum Guide, training E-Course and Placement Screener.

Not ready to commit yet?

Take the FREE Foundations of Literacy Training e-course to learn more about Emergent Literacy students, the curriculum and what it can do for your students.

Enroll in the FREE e-course