Many grammars of the Syriac language focus on reading and translation, completely omitting issues of correct pronunciation and orthography. In contrast, George Kiraz’s approach to learning Syriac is founded upon the commitment to preserving Syriac as a spoken language. Written in a style designed for beginners, Kiraz avoids technical language and strives for reader-friendly, inductive approach. This volume introduces the letters of the Syriac alphabet a few at the time, and each set of letters is accompanied guides to pronunciation and the correct way to write the letters, including helpful charts and illustrations. Practice exercises at the end of each section provide the user with copious opportunities for review in order to facilitate rapid acquisition. This volume will be helpful to all who want to learn the basics of Syriac pronunciation and orthography without being inundated with technical linguistic jargon. The volume is an extract of Chapter 1 of Kiraz’s The New Syriac Primer.