Exploring English Spelling Errors among EFL Learners in Language Schools: A Case Study of Tshangu District, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59228/rcst.026.v5.i3.345Keywords:
EFL learners, English spelling, error analysis, grapheme, phonologyAbstract
This mixed-methods study examined English spelling errors and learners’ perceptions of English spelling in language schools in Tshangu District, Kinshasa. The quantitative component used a questionnaire distributed to 90 learners, of whom 85 returned usable responses. A qualitative interview component was also reported; however, the manuscript gives inconsistent interview sample sizes (10 versus 20), which must be resolved before publication. Error analysis was used to identify and classify misspellings, and a corpus of 90 misspelled forms is provided in the appendix. Descriptive findings indicate substantial use of pronunciation-based spelling and frequent graphemic errors. Because several tables contain internal inconsistencies between frequencies and percentages, inferential claims and exact prevalence estimates should not be made until the dataset and tables are reconciled. The findings nevertheless support the need for explicit instruction linking English phonology, grapheme–phoneme correspondences, morphological spelling rules, and systematic feedback on recurrent errors.
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