Hi Readers,
International Student S from Sri Lanka took up my offer ( extra English class at night ) and scheduled for a consultation meeting. He articulated his goals, and told me about his motivation for partaking in the Asia Leaders Programme, and I told him my approach in helping him reach his goals.
He told me that he needed help with spelling and pronunciation ( typical international students concern? ). My comfort zone is in assisting with composition, so I told him that I'm not a speech therapist, but I can still give tips based on personal experience and my tutoring elementary students using the Wilson Reading System. I hoped that the word "elementary" wasn't a turn off, so to my best of my ability, I highlighted the strong points that could be applied in his situation ( hopefully the ideas were translated and expressed ).
The Wilson Reading System employs the 80/20 rule, which states that the current English spelling and sounds follow a pattern consistent 80% of the time. The other 20% are the exceptions to the rule. Learning the 80% first give students consistency and confidence ( that'll prepare them to handle the exceptions ). Words are broken down into sound units with standardized letter combination. I explained to International Student S that if he could remember the letter combination with the sound then his spelling and pronunciation would improve.
Then I shared my experience in articulation using voice exercises, exaggeration, and singing ( yes I hear glass shattering and somewhere in the world, it's raining ). I tried to express the importance of vocalization ( audibly hearing the self instead of just keeping and analyzing it only in one's mind ). Who knows if these reasons are enough to convince him. I guess we'll see, diba?
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