3. Issues
- Sometimes a spelling problem is a listening discrimination
problem. If your learner is making the same error repeatedly,
check to make sure that your learner hears the sound correctly.
For example, Hyun - Chu often uses the letters "r" and "l"
interchangeably when she writes. When writing out a dictation
exercise about a boy named Ryan, she wrote his name "Lion."
- Learners should also know some of the acceptable letter patterns
in English. Nf, for example, is not a pattern that is used
in English. If learners are told that this combination will not be in an English word,
it is easier to spell (and understand) sentences likes,
"I want a hamburger 'n' fries."
- We study word patterns (or word families) so the learner may
recognize and read vowel and/or vowel-consonant sound
combinations. This method also assists the learner in improving her
spelling as well. Once the learner knows that "kn" makes an "n" sound,
it is much easier to sound out and spell words like knife and know.
You will notice that all the skills are developed in an integrated
way. Improving one skill (for example, listening discrimination)
improves not only
the learner's listening ability, but pronunciation and spelling as well.
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