Speaking and Spelling Exercises: Their Role in Teaching Using Communicative-activity Approach

Abstract

The present article covers the use of speaking activities in teaching spelling from the perspective of the communicative-activity approach. This approach allows a complex of spelling and speaking skills necessary for speaking practice to be built in the course of spelling activities. Speech and spelling activities help students to develop a verbal and cogitative mechanism for choosing the correct spelling of a letter (or sign) when writing. As a result, students can rely freely on spelling rules when producing their own coherent utterances, varying in style and type of speech. The article pays a particular attention to activities aimed at developing students' speech production skills, i.e. ability to create their own coherent utterances in accordance with a specific communication task. In addition, the article demonstrates that, by enriching the vocabulary of students, it is possible to improve their spelling competence. The study results are based on personal teaching experience, literature review, observation of the learning process, conversations with students and teachers.