Strategies for teaching English spelling and reading

Abstract

Learning English reading and spelling in a non-native speaking environment is generally practised through drill, repetition and learning by heart. However, in the native speaking environment, there are different approaches applied in order to teach English to beginning learners. Based on the continuous one-month observation of the native English learners and their teachers in Northern Ireland and the non-native English young learners and their teachers in Slovakia, we are going to highlight the main differences in teaching how to read and write between native and non-native English learners from various points of view and suggest accommodations that may be beneficial for non-native learners and their teachers. We are predominantly going to focus on the approach “Phonics” used for teaching young learners how to read and write in the native English speaking environment. Furthermore, we are going to stress the importance of the teaching practice by novice teachers as we consider it the first step in their early teaching career.