ABSTRACT
We have been practicing numbers from 1-100 for the past couple of days. My students are now working in dictation pairs with number flash cards. One student has the flash cards and dictates the number; the other student writes. I watch them thoughtfully as they try to communicate with each other. Their communication is a bit rocky, but I stop myself from getting up to help them out. Ali, my 50-year-old student from Iran, comes to the number 33 on the flash cards. He dictates to Miguel, who is from Mexico. “Durdi Dri,” says Ali. Miguel looks puzzled and writes nothing. Ali repeats the number. “Durdi Dri,” he says. Still Miguel looks puzzled. “Wha’d you say?” he says. This time in a louder voice, Ali says again, “Durdi, Dri.” Ali’s loud voice catches the attention of Fong, my 40-year-old Chinese student. Fong leaves his own partner and comes over to take a look. Fong looks at the number 33 written on Ali’s flash card and says, “Ah . . . Furti Fli, Miguel. Furti Fli.” Miguel looks at Ali and Fong in total confusion. He looks like he’s thinking that his two classmates must be some type of alien. “Espeak Inglés,” he says. Ali shrugs and turns the flash card around for Miguel to see. Miguel smiles. “Ah . . .,” he says. (Recognition dawning on him at last.) “Thirti Tri!” I smile. [Personal notes, Sharron Bassano, 1982]
Task: Reflect
Why do you think each of the students in the above vignette pronounces the number 33 in a different way?
