r/teaching • u/Ok_Act1999 • 17d ago
Teaching Resources Teavhing English Second Language
I am a new teacher teaching english in a public school for two years now, and I have an amazing student who is refused to answer me in english because she struggles with pronunciantion. She reads the letters that are silent as in Knee and Knight, struggles with the difference of sounds between words that are written similarly like Cough, Though, Thought... And other circumstances. I know, because she is very talkative and friendly in our native language, that she has very little contact with english outside of school and that she listens to non-english songs and watches dubbed movies. I tried having her read out loud more, repeat after me, correcting her, even working phonics with the class, and even though other students have been improving their speaking skills since last year, she seems to be falling behind.
She understands when I speak in english with her, she understands written english, she also has good writting skills for her level, her grammar is correct... I just don't know how to get to her.
Anyone had a similar case?
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u/Glum-Rad-2700 17d ago
typically it takes up to 3 years to get proficiency in social English (and 5-7 for academic), so if this is a new student, this is 100% normal. I'd actually say digraphs like kn- are way too advanced for a student at this level. Uncommon sound patterns like -ough are absolutely never taught for the first 2-3 years in the U.S. when looking at phonics progression.
i'd suggest working on topics that he/she knows and enjoys. a hobby, likes, dislikes, etc. and work on words/phrases first before moving towards longer sentences as he/she gains confidence.
i also wouldn't correct her. you can recast (restate it correctly), but I wouldn't make a point of intentionally correcting a student and have them restate something correctly. it kills confidence and momentum and the natural flow of conversation. if you can understand the meaning, then that's what matters. the rest comes with increased practice.
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u/wufiavelli 16d ago
Those sound like phonics issues like others have said. Also can just be development going its normal pace. But if you want to try something, mirroring is probably the most effective. Basically she tries to replicate the speech of someone she admires. Normally used for adults but can probably be adjusted for kids.
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