The English language is noted for the irregularities of its spellings, while given rise to the idea that there is only one way to learn most of them: by rote learning or serial memory.
Bad spelling is blamed sometimes on falling standards in education. Some teachers do not mind students creating misspelled words as long as they see ideas in most of the compositions or in even just simple sentences of the students. On the other hand, giving emphasis on pointing out and correcting all mistakes, can enable students to read and write properly and to decode meanings easily.
Of all the encoding skills, spelling tends to be viewed by teachers and students alike as the most arbitrary or imperious. The most resistant to instruction and the least related to intelligence. It is one area of writing where English teachers themselves will admit ineptness. That is why most teachers treat spelling as “surface feature” and should not pay too much attention.
Another problem with spelling is the fact that our use of English language is founded in spoken language, wherein correct spelling is not observed, rather than in written language.
Spelling is not simple, but when students try to understand its structure, they might acknowledge the value of learning to spell. Learning the rules and patterns is the foundation of correcting words. When students start practicing to spell the words in ways that are effective and getting appropriate feedbacks and experiencing success, even in spelling the toughest words, they will realize that it is fun and enjoyable.
Moreover, spelling to be honed and to be improved, it should not be removed from the context of writing. Teachers must think of strategies and methods on how his students be motivated to spell the words without fear. There is a risk of students becoming inhibited because of the fear of being wrong. Being wrong is as natural in learning to spell as falling off in learning to ride a bike. (J. Richard Gentry). Learning cannot take place without an error, spelling errors should be expected at first in the process of learning it. Likewise, students should be encouraged to invent their own spellings as a way of testing and modifying hypotheses on spelling. This is the way students learn.
In the end, still, the teachers are the ones who hold the key to a successful speller. A systematic and logical program of word study as part of spelling instructions may help to develop the spelling skill of the learners.
By: Mrs. Mina Lorena S. Lintag | Teacher III | Pablo Roman National Highcschool Pilar, Bataan
