Teaching spelling is somewhat ignored in ELT methodology, but many teachers are aware that their students need considerable help in this area. So they often fall back on using some rather traditional spelling activities and techniques that may not be effective for today’s English language learners. Sounding out words, testing from learnt word lists, multiple choice exercises and reading aloud have at best limited benefits and may in fact make learners’ spelling worse. In this webinar we will explore some less common approaches to helping students master English spelling. These will include linking spelling of words to their meaning and their language source, exploiting and developing our visual memories, helping learners to spot and remember patterns, making spelling activities multi-sensory and breaking down the affective filter which so often creates a barrier between learners and English spelling. You will come away from the webinar with more understanding of issues in teaching spelling in ELT and some solutions and activities that you can try with your students. They’ll thank you!
