I Can't Learn Spelling

Description of the learner:
Ricardo is a 32-year veterinarian who was born and reared in Bolivia where he finished college before coming to the United States two years ago. Since then he has worked as a full-time employee in a pet store rather than for a veterinarian, which he would prefer. He says he loves his job, because it relates to his field of study. He was sent to my beginning level Advanced ESOL (English as a Second Language) class from a higher-level class after the second week of the term, because he was on a waiting list due to the unavailability of a seat. Ricardo is a mature, friendly, out-going person. He loves to offer and receive help. His goal is to learn English for advancement to a job as a veterinarian.

Challenge faced:
Ricardo finished all his schooling with instruction conducted in Spanish with none in English. Nonetheless, he is fluent in oral 'fossilized' English with all its basic grammatical and structural errors. He thinks his biggest problem is in writing, because he has problems remembering how to spell English words correctly and how to write grammatically correct sentences.

What we did:
After looking through his scores in the data card, we arranged to have a one to one meeting before the class started the next day. I dictated some sentences from a previous lesson, and Ricardo wrote them. Besides making general spelling mistakes, he was missing most of the final consonants even in simple words like did (spelled, di). He also used j for y as in young. When I listened carefully, I heard the same mistakes in speaking and reading aloud. After showing him his mistakes, I gave him an intermediate level reading book and asked him to copy one page every day. I asked him to read it aloud to me, so I could check his pronunciation. We met three times a week for half an hour. After two weeks he had made noticeable progress in spelling, pronunciation and sentence structure, although he makes mistakes when encountering unfamiliar words. However, he has had begun correcting himself when speaking.

Analysis:
Because Ricardo was effective in learning English through imitation, it was clear that he could develop English skills if he had intensive instruction that connected listening to correct English pronunciations with written text. This would reduce the interference from his native language. Thus, copying and then reading aloud are working well for Ricardo, because these two tasks are based on his strengths. Since Ricardo learned English through imitation without reading, writing and grammar instruction, when he faced the written form of the language he constantly drew on incorrect oral grammar.

What I learned:
I learned that educated adult learners for whom English is a second language may need simple, straight-forward strategies just as low-literate students do. Even though Ricardo was familiar with using learning strategies, I learned that breaking habits of incorrect pronunciations requires intensive step-by-step procedures. Once a procedural model is clearly learned, however, an educated person can implement it on his own as Ricardo did.

Ricardo, Group Discussion:

What do you mean by fossilized language?
Fossilized language is acquired through oral imitation without understanding the syntactic rules of the language. It may serve the purpose of making oneself understood and carrying on a conversation, but it often prevents job advancement, and it is unacceptable for written communication.

If he still makes mistakes pronouncing new words and has difficulty with sentence structure, what other strategies could be used?
In addition to using recorded passages, Ricardo could practice listening to Standard English on the radio or television. When hearing the news, he could identify specific words he wishes to pronounce correctly. If he occasionally focuses his attention on pronunciations rather than on content he might become more aware of correct versus incorrect speech.

In addition to recording stories he hears in class, he could tape himself while reading aloud at home and then critique it with a teacher or another student in class. For this, he will need to bring both the tape and the material read to class. This type of homework would allow him to read selections that are meaningful to him. I could be careful to select class material that pertains to his work with animals. By doing so, he may sustain his motivation to practice for longer periods.

To work on written grammar, he could paraphrase what he reads in class or at home. Having him read his compositions to the class and getting feedback may help him find his own errors. This type self-evaluation should be of value to Ricardo.

Will these strategies work with all learners?
The strategy sequence used with Ricardo is an excellent approach, but it may be ineffective with some ESOL students who have differing characteristics, needs, and goals. Therefore, different strategies are required to help different learners. To select or develop instructional procedures, it is crucial to begin by meeting with the learner in a one-to-one session and let the learner guide you in determining how to begin your instructional strategies.

Summary:

Director's Comments:

Either Ricardo heard incorrect English pronunciations or he incorrectly heard correct English pronunciations. Once you gave him correct patterns, he made corrections; this suggests that he has no difficulty with auditory discrimination or phonemic awareness. That is, when attention is drawn to the correct sound, he can reproduce it. Recorded stories taped by you or another student could provide additional correct models for Ricardo. His reading aloud of the same text could serve as an evaluation of his progress. The next steps would be to tape record his oral reading, have him listen to himself and identify words that need additional work. When he can identify his own mispronunciations, he will be demonstrating a high level of skill development.