Smart devices negatively impacting students’ spelling ability – education officer

Driven by a national mandate, educational facilities nationwide have been embracing technology use in schools and learning environments.
However, on the other hand, students’ dependency on smart devices is negatively impacting their spelling abilities.
This point was raised by the education officer with responsibility for literacy in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
While acknowledging the numerous positives of embracing technology in schools, the education officer with responsibility for literacy in Region Six, Simone Profit, pointed out that there are pitfalls as well.
One such is the impact it has is on students’ abilities to spell.
She made this point at a spelling bee competition in the region. The spelling ‘B’ competition involving grade 4 students was held at New Amsterdam’s Town Hall. It was a part of the Town’s celebratory activities for its 133rd anniversary.
The first place went to All Saints Primary, with St Aloysius Primary and Alleyne’s Academy following in that order.
The top student was Adrian Sookpaul of All Saints, followed by Daniel Griffith of Alleyne’s Academy and Jada Patior of Learners Academy.
“I would say that it was very exciting to hear the children spell words that would have been perceived as being difficult. Several words were spelled that parents and teachers within the audience squeezing, thinking that the words were too difficult for the children, however, those words were spelled by the learners with no difficulty at all,” Profit revealed.
However, she expressed concern over the impact smart devices are having on their spelling ability.
For example, she lamented that many students were using American spellings as opposed to British versions.
Traditionally, Guyana used the British version of spelling.
“I realise that for the younger generation that for the younger generation, and I am thinking that it is because they use their electronic tablets and other similar devices so often that has the American spelling it gives the American spelling; so where the British spelling would have ‘o u r’, with most of those words, they were giving the ‘o r’ and then we had to remind them that we are using the British version. I think that is one of the areas that our teachers would need to work on, even parents in helping the children to understand the difference between the two.”
Meanwhile, the literacy officer said more emphasis needs to be placed on words with silent letters since some of those words pose challenges for students to spell.
The presentation of prizes will be at a date still to be announced.
The competition was sponsored by Banks DIH Ltd.