Chapter 3

La ortografía en la enseñanza de ELE

El objetivo de este trabajo es explicar el papel de la ortografía en el aprendizaje de la pronunciación del español y proponer maneras de integrarla en el aula de ELE. Para ello, partimos de la idea de que la ortografía es una técnica que ayuda a componer textos escritos valorados como correctos y que debe aprenderse conscientemente; además, puede informar sobre la pronunciación de algunos segmentos, lo que ayuda a recomponer la forma fónica de un texto. Para facilitar su adquisición se necesita secuenciar la presentación de sus problemáticas — grafías con distintos valores o el uso de la tilde y los signos de puntuación — a lo largo de los diferentes niveles del currículo. No se puede reducir el trabajo sobre la ortografía a la corrección de errores, sino que se tiene que incluir una reflexión sobre su relación con la pronunciación, tal como hacemos a lo largo de estas páginas. Finalizamos con algunas propuestas para integrar la ortografía con la pronunciación en el aula de español como lengua adicional.

The aim of this chapter is to explain the role of orthography in the learning of Spanish pronunciation, while suggesting different ways to integrate both in the Spanish language classroom. Orthography is a technique that helps to compose written texts which are valued as correct by a community sharing a set of rules. It must be learned in a conscious manner, a fact that equates native speakers and L2 learners. In addition, orthography provides information about the pronunciation of certain segments, which helps the reader to reconstruct the phonic form of a written text. To facilitate the acquisition of spelling, it is necessary to sequence the presentation of its different problems throughout the different levels into which a learning curriculum is segmented. In the classroom, work on spelling should not be reduced to a mere correction of graphic errors by the teacher, but it should also include a reflection on its relation to pronunciation. The learner should be introduced to the idea that orthography is a tool that facilitates the relationship between the written and oral dimensions of language. This idea is the origin of the concept of orthoepic competence, which combines the analysis of both phonological and orthographic competence (the latter traditionally understood as the codification of writing rules).

In the case of Spanish, addressing the main difficulties presented by its orthographic norm must be continuously worked on throughout the different levels of learning. These difficulties encompass aspects such es spelling to which different phonetic values are assigned (for example: the use of the spelling <g> to represent the sounds [g] or [x]), the existence of a spelling without phonic representation (the <h>), the placement of the accent mark, the use of a double system for some punctuation marks (opening and closing symbols in interrogations and exclamations). To help learners acquire all these contents, teachers need practical tools, anchored in an exhaustive description of the facts which, in turn, present a clear and unambiguous terminology. The normative description of Spanish orthography present in reference works — the starting point for any study or reflection — must be adapted for use in the Spanish as an additional classroom. Teachers should also be familiar with conventions used to note spelling (< >), phonemes (/ /) and sounds ([ ]). Knowing how to use orthographic symbols (interrogative or exclamatory) is essential for helping learners in accurately transcribing longer texts which fall into the field of intonation and segmental pronunciation. Another aspect to pay attention to is the presentation and systematization of the punctuation system, as an integral part of orthography, which has been ignored in practically all of the manuals used in the classroom. It should not be forgotten that orthography is a cultural product subject to revision and change by the communities that adopt it, often to link in more closely to speech production. The ultimate goal of this work is, thus, to highlight the relationship between orthography and pronunciation and to propose ways of integrating spelling in the classroom.