Job Discussion Forums

[Scott in HK]

Juan Alias wrote

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Juan Alias,

Oh, I get the pun!

[b][b]Now, are you atellin' me i cannot right? Hmmm, are you done dare gonna correct my a spelin and done der syntax?[/b][/b]

Do you think i actually care about my syntax on this board?

[Mark-O]

[Scott in HK]

For better or worse...there were no tests for NET teachers when I joined the ranks.

Since I understand my limitations as a speller, or in other words, I have a good grasp of my limitations...I tend not to use the words I can't spell when writing without the aid of dictionary. I am sure that I would do fine on the tests, if asked to do them now.

You, of course, are free to argue anything you want but I don't think you could get very far with a comparison between which is more important in communication...a grasp of the structure of a language and its use in conveying meaning...or whether I can remember how to spell 'enthusiasm'. Spelling has little impact on effective communication. This idea starts with invented spelling in emergent literacy and may end with those latest studies that show readers barely look at the majority of the letters in a word while reading, rather they concentrate on the first and last letters and the context of the word. Spelling is simply the icing on the cake.

My dsylexia does not interfere with my ability to teach students spelling rules or to encourage them to use spelling families. In fact, you could argue that my constant struggle with spelling would be a good example for students that we all need to continue working on our weak points.

Teaching a language is so much more that knowing how to spell, I don't even know where to start refuting any idea that spelling is measurement of any other ability than the ability to spell. I am not a good speller, but I am an excellent reader and pretty good writer. Poor spelling has not stop me from attaining higher degrees or writing fiction.

Finally, if I am reading you right, you are saying that because I am not an excellent speller, I am neither a good nor a competent teacher. That would be a rather presumptuous statement. Common sense should tell you not to make such a blanket statement.

[once again]

"Common sense tells me that a good, competent English teacher would be expected to have an excellent capacity to spell "

What century are you living in Mark O!!!! That has to be the most reactionary line of thinking on the teaching of English that I have heard for a long time. What on earth has good spelling got to do with good communication. Spelling is mostly a trick of memory, given the inconsistencies that exist within English. It has nothing whatsoever to do with structure. My spelling is terrible and it has never once hindered my ability to get a student to understand something. There may be many other reasons that they have failed to understand, but spelling has never entered into the equation.

[Mark-O]

[Mark-O]

[once again]

I can be sure because we are discouraged from writing anything down for the students by way of example or explanation. And when we do, it is the context that is important. Believe me, when trying to get a student to understand the present continous aspect, spelling does not come into it. If and when any of my students start to write proposals using arcane scientific terms I shall point out to them that they should check their spelling before they submit!!

[Mark-O]

Your sarcasm aside, isn't my situation analogous to that of a student learning another language? I am reading words - albeit ones that are scientific, but are nonetheless 'foreign' to me - and my understanding of those are inhibited by their misspelling.



[Incidentally, you would be well advised to inform your students of checking spellings when writing proposals - the quality of the written proposal (which includes the use of grammar and spelling) is one of the criteria for funding! ]

[once again]

In answer to your question...NO.

Your situation is analagous to me coming up with words they don't know the meaning of. It doesn't matter how I spell words they don't know the meaning of, they won't know the difference!!!!

[Mark-O]

[once again]

Of course they can communicate outside of the classroom..everybody I taught the words to would have the same spelling!!!

By the way you have used these two spellings in your posts...mispelled and misspelling..

I guess the single or double "S" is not arbitarily applied...but I still understand your meaning. Just as I have no real idea how to spell arbitary..but I guess you will get my meaning.

[Mark-O]

What do I know anyway? I'm not even a teacher!

[Juan Alias]

The point I wanted to make was that there are a lot of unfakable elements to 'good English'. Spelling is one of them, but the most obvious deficiency in Freddie's writing is not his combination of letters but the combinations of words - a much bigger and more damaging error in spoken or written English, where spelling is only applicable, of course, in the one mode.
A failure to master syntactical structures correctly (and they can be almost infinitely re-arranged and still be correct in wonderful English) is the most glaring error in second-language speakers (pronunciation can be much more easily forgiven, I think) and writers (spellings have to be pretty bad before they become incomprehensible).
Generally, first language English speakers of reasonable intelligence don't make serious grammatical errors outside of a few individual clangers to do with number or tense. All reasons why the word salad posted by Mr Unbelievable is so telling of, um, something.

[Freddie_Unbelievable]