What should a teacher do if an ELL reads 'buzz' as 'bus'?

• A. The teacher instructs the student on the difference between the voiced and voiceless cognates
• B. The teacher has the student practice reading words with the letter z
• C. The teacher re-reads the word to the student
• D. The teacher has the student read words with the letter s

Answer: (A)

The rationale behind the chosen answer lies in the important phonetic distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants. In the case of the words 'buzz' and 'bus', the difference hinges on the voiced 'z' sound in 'buzz' compared to the voiceless 's' sound in 'bus'. By instructing the student on the distinction between these cognates, the teacher helps the ELL understand the phonemic contrasts that exist in the English language. This understanding is crucial for accurate reading and pronunciation, as it equips the student with the ability to differentiate similar sounds that are essential for proper word recognition.

This approach not only addresses the immediate misreading but also reinforces the learner's overall phonological awareness, which is vital for their literacy development. It fosters deeper understanding, helping the student to generalize this knowledge to other similar word pairs in future reading experiences.