Teaching the English Writing Code: A Guide to Sound-Grapheme Relationships and Spelling Activities
1. Introduction
Due to globalization, communication among people from different countries and cultures has become a necessity. For this reason, the educational curriculum gives great importance to the teaching and learning process of a Foreign Language, in this case, English. As mentioned in the Organic Law (LOE) 3rd of May/2006, modified by LOMLOE 03/2020 29th of December and also included in RD 1st of March 157/2022, more specifically in D61/2022 13th of July, areas like plurilingualism focus on this main purpose.
However, there are some difficulties when learning English due to the inconsistency between the written and the oral language. This topic will address the English writing system. Firstly, we will discuss the historical approaches to English orthography. Secondly, we will explain English spelling and its interrelation with orthographic codes. Thirdly, we will delve into sound-grapheme relationships, as English pronunciation differs from its written form. Fourthly, we will provide guidelines and activities related to spelling. Finally, we will conclude with a brief summary and a bibliography.
2. A Historical Approach to English Orthography
When acquiring our mother tongue, we first acquire oral skills (listening and speaking) and then associate them with written skills (reading and writing). However, English exhibits an inconsistent relationship between speaking and writing due to historical factors. A written form of English based on the Latin alphabet has existed for over 1,000 years. However, English pronunciation, particularly vowel sounds, has constantly changed, undergoing a process known as the ‘Great Vowel Shift.’ Conversely, spelling has seen few changes, especially in the last 500 years. Consequently, present-day written English is generally an inadequate and misleading representation of the spoken language.
Other historical-linguistic factors, including Germanic, Celtic, and Latin influences, regional variations, the printing press’s impact, and continuous word borrowing, contribute to the incongruity in present-day English spelling.
3. English Spelling
These changes throughout the centuries have resulted in a challenging aspect of teaching English spelling.
Spelling, a part of a language’s written system, can be classified into non-phonological systems, such as those using recognizable pictures (e.g., Mesopotamian writings), or phonological systems, including syllabic and alphabetic ones.
English uses a phonological alphabetic system, featuring a direct correspondence between sounds (phonemes) and written letters or symbols (graphemes). The English alphabet comprises 26 graphemes, representing a greater number of phonemes at the oral level.
English spelling, the written representation of speech sounds, requires mastery of five sub-skills: grammatical, stylistic, rhetorical, organizational, and graphical skills (including graphemes, punctuation, capitalization, and layout).
Students should understand aspects such as the use of capital letters, abbreviations, acronyms, brackets, square brackets, inverted commas, commas, apostrophes, semicolons, question marks, exclamation marks, hyphens, dashes, full stops, and quotation marks.
It’s crucial to consider the differences between British and American English spelling.
4. Orthographic Codes in English
When teaching English, the first step is deciding between British or American English to avoid confusing students. While both are acceptable, different accents and spellings should be introduced as students progress.
When using British English, the R.P. model (Received Pronunciation) is recommended, as it represents Standard English, widely understood worldwide.
4.1 British and American English Differences
Despite choosing British English for teaching, it’s essential to address some differences between American and British English:
- American English uses”cente” instead of”centre”
- American English uses”colo” instead of”colour”
- American English uses”dialo” instead of”dialogue”
- American English uses”defens” instead of”defence”
Other distinctions include:
- American English does not double consonants in words like”jeweler””marvelous” or”traveler”
- American English uses double quotation marks “Hell”) instead of single quotation marks (‘Hello’).
- Dates are written as month/day/year in American English, while British English uses day/month/year.
- American English often uses different word endings:”wann” (want),”gott” (got),”gonn” (going to).
4.2 Spelling Rules
While differences exist, English spelling cannot be taught solely through rules. Improvement comes from practice, memorization, and associating forms and meanings. Some basic rules can be introduced in Primary Education:
- Words with more than two syllables ending in consonant-vowel-consonant double the last consonant:”begin-beginner”
- Adding the suffix”-fu” to a word removes the second””:”beauty-beautiful”
- Words ending in consonant +”” change the”” to an”” when adding the suffix”-ed” If preceded by a vowel, it remains unchanged:”carry-carried””play-played”
5. Sound-Grapheme Relationship
The sound-grapheme relationship refers to the connection between sounds (phonemes) and their written symbols (graphemes). Phonology and phonetics are sciences that study aspects related to graphemes and sounds. Phonology focuses on phonemes and their interactions, while phonetics examines speech sounds as physical manifestations. Orthography, the study of spelling, developed alongside phonology to establish a written system corresponding to language sounds.
British English graphemes are divided into vowels, consonants, and semivowels.
5.1 Vowels
Unlike the Spanish system, English has twelve distinctive vowels. The pronunciation of vowels can vary depending on the position of the tongue (close, middle, half-opened, open), the position of the lips (rounded, neutral, spread), and the length (short or long).
5.2 Consonants and Semivowels
The English language has 22 consonants and two semivowels “” and””).
6. Teaching the Writing Code
Teaching the English writing code, including spelling, can be challenging for young learners due to psychological, linguistic, and cognitive factors. Writing requires concentration, correct linguistic element selection, and can be stressful for young learners.
In early stages, students write very little, as the Official Curriculum emphasizes receptive skills over productive skills. Therefore, teaching the written code should be based on two main principles:
- Introduce all written items orally beforehand, ensuring structures and vocabulary are presented and practiced.
- Provide visual backup for writing activities.
Picture books are excellent tools for teaching good writing traits. They offer a highly visual way to engage students in reading and writing, serving as models for writers of all ages.
7. Spelling in Writing Activities
To improve spelling, guided activities can be implemented, following these steps:
- Provide students with the necessary words. Activities like bingo, hangman, odd man out, and”I sp” are suitable for this stage.
- Encourage students to think about spelling through activities like crosswords.
- Provide strategies for self-correction, such as creating personal dictionaries or designing class posters.
7.1 Correcting Spelling
When correcting spelling, differentiate between mistakes (temporary lapses in knowledge) and errors (resulting from a lack of understanding). The teacher’s attitude is crucial in turning errors into learning experiences. Selective corrections, indicating mistakes for self-correction, or prompting students to review their work are effective approaches.
8. Conclusion
This topic explored the relationship between written and oral language in English and provided pedagogical applications for teaching correct writing and spelling in the FL classroom. Developing correct spelling is crucial for avoiding misunderstandings in written communication. It can be improved through various competences outlined in the educational law (LOE 2/2006, modified by LOMLOE 3/2020, and RD 157/2022, D61/2022). Linguistic, plurilingual, and entrepreneurial competences are particularly relevant to this topic. As Steve Kaufmann said, “Every language we learn is a door opening up a new world.” Language learning enhances cultural understanding, social skills, and self-esteem.
9. Bibliography
- Crystal, D. (2018). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (3rd Revised ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Hymes, D. (1972). On Communicative Competence (in Sociolinguistics). Penguin.
- Jakobson, R., & Halle, M. (2017). Fundamentals of Language. Andesite Press.