Spelling: Should we make a central criterion in the French school?

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Spelling: should we make central:

ThoseSchool in French -speaking Switzerland

“Be careful not to put the spelling on a pedestal”

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In short:
  • French spelling: should we make central spelling is among the most complex in the world.
  • Only 40% of Geneva students master spelling at the end of the orientation cycle.
  • The school must teach “orthographic vigilance” without strengthening social stigma linked to spelling, recommends the specialist Ecaterina Bulea Bronckart.

In Geneva. Consequently, other French -speaking cantons, the school will focus on spelling, in particular by systematizing the use of dictation. The objective of the Geneva school aims more broadly to improve the level of French in general: in addition to dictation. Meanwhile, the teaching staff must intensify written production, reading or even oral development among the little ones. Consequently, What should we think? Consequently, We discuss it with Ecaterina Bulea Bronckart. Additionally, Consequently, ordinary professor of French didactics at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at the University of Geneva.

Only 40% of Geneva students master spelling: should we make central the fundamental skills in spelling at the end of the orientation cycle. Should we alarmed it?

That is to say too much, but we must care about it and analyze the phenomenon without comparing the incomparable. In addition, That is to say with other countries. Meanwhile, regions which have another language with a simpler spelling, or with other eras where there was not the same schooling rate.

German students are doing better in their language …

French has one of the most complex spelling in the world. In addition, In the XVIIe. For example, 18e A centuries, very flexible, spelling has become more and more complex and normalized following several factors, including the appearance of the French Academy, the Printing and the Phenomenon of Schooling. Nevertheless, For questions of meaning, for example, we added a t to “singing” to distinguish it spelling: should we make central from “field”.

This enormous complexification of spelling produced the absence of stable correspondence between sounds and how to transcribe them. Consequently, An example: the plural does not get along in most cases. However, Everyone, students, teachers, adults, must deal with this opacity. Moreover, we measure the shortcomings of the students because they are constantly tested, but adults also make many errors.

In some languages, correspondence between sounds and their written translation makes it possible to write right away just 90%. However, Students can immediately focus on the meaning of words rather than their form.

Spelling is a fairly ruthless social marker. Moreover, the academicians, historically, stunted it in order to distinguish people from letters from the ignorant. Consequently, to fight against this stigma, should we emphasize good spelling or rather be flexible?

We have made it a social marker, but this spelling: should we make central stigma is a problem, because spelling is not the language. Similarly, You can produce very good oral. Furthermore, written texts, with a good articulation of the arguments, while having a bad spelling. Furthermore, And vice versa. Therefore, It is therefore necessary to put the importance of spelling into perspective and fight against this simplistic social marker.

On the other hand, the problem should not be minimized. Nevertheless, The school is responsible for not strengthening this stigma and therefore not preteritating students. The message to give is that in certain situations must be held more for spelling than in others. Speaking to a friend, it may be less important, but in a CV, the context is ruthless. Writing without fail is also a question of respect for language, society, the other. The school must give students the tools to have this spelling vigilance. It is not a question of being spelling: should we make central able to write perfectly immediately. but of knowing how to reread and correct yourself.

With artificial intelligence (AI), everyone can send a CV or an email without faults. Technology seems to be able to erase this spelling: should we make central social marker where pedagogues have failed, right?

The pedagogues have not failed. Above all, the machine will not learn in our place. Continue to learn is a fundamental issue for humanity. Knowing our language is a right not to delegate to an artificial intelligence. However. we must learn to use the AI ​​intelligently, to avoid the false tracks on which it can put us, including in spelling, and so that it is we who master it and not the reverse. I add that writing by hand remains very useful. because brain activity is different from writing via a keyboard where letters already exist.

This return, the French school authorities emphasize spelling. What do you think?

It is legitimate to be concerned with spelling in the same way that we are concerned with other. elements of written culture. But without putting it on spelling: should we make central a pedestal. because in this case one falls into the trap of the social marker – but I do not think that this is the intention of the DIP in Geneva.

The objective is to improve the overall quality of writing, and spelling is an element that contributes to it.

Is the return in grace of dictation a good thing?

Well, not well … The field of spelling and language requires a lot of nuances. First, dictation is not the only way to improve spelling. It is for example necessary to teach text rereading strategies. Then. it is rather necessary to speak “of” dictations, because it all depends on how, why and with what results we make a dictation. If it is to terrorize the students, we don’t win anything. Make a classic dictation, possibly prepared upstream, then correct all errors in spelling: should we make central red and have it rewritten … What do students learn?

On the other hand. over the past twenty years, about fifteen dictations have been developed to arouse motivation and increase curiosity. The so -called “fridge” dictation is to put the copy of the students aside and read the right text together. They are asked then what they think they have done as mistakes. This requests memory and arouses reflection, as well as discussion. Then we confront with their copies. we discuss again: “Why did you think you have done false, when you wrote correctly?”, “Did you make this error, what lesson do you learn?”

There are also so -called collaborative. negotiated dictations: two or three students write together, which encourages them to discuss difficulties and verbalize them. There are still ritualized dictations. one or two short sentences which target a difficulty of the language and which we repeat spelling: should we make central regularly. The important thing is to alternate between the different tools of this protean device. and in which the classic dictation can find its place.

At the time, we learned vocabulary lists by heart. Should we come back?

No. This disembodied method has been abandoned. because it is when the student finds these words in a written production that he can make sense of it. But there are lists and lists. Working on words of the same family – singing, singing, singer … – allows you to develop effective strategies. Learning by heart a fruit list can be useful for a non-French-speaking-speaking who must store vocabulary. but not to improve spelling.

Where does this drop in the level of spelling come from? Are the smartphones that overshadowed the books?

I do not know if there is spelling: should we make central a drop, it would be necessary to compare with other studies. In any case, it seems clear that the speed of communication of technological means pushes to pay less attention. But I do not demonize these means. Sometimes speed is more important than spelling rigor.

The challenge is to give the taste. motivation to write, but that cannot be reached by making spelling a threat. Who knows if. in the future, spelling will not be much simpler, like the spelling of certain languages ​​like the Turk, which was radically simplified during the passage to the Latin alphabet?

Reform French spelling? What do you think?

Simplifying it. that is to say that the spelling and the instances which governed it take a step towards a meeting between individuals and the language. There is therefore a social effort to be made to uncompromising writing. spelling: should we make central in the same way that it has been complicated. Nothing is engraved in marble.

How to explain the resistors? Do the elites want to keep their ascendant?

Maybe for some people. For others. there is a very strong attachment to the history and aesthetics of the language that they fear to see impoverished. But it is a lure, because one should not confuse spelling and language. For some, attachment is emotional, when others are anchored in a tradition.

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