Methodology for the development of spelling competence with a recreational approach

Methodology for the development of spelling competence with a recreational approach

Metodología para el desarrollo de la competencia ortográfica con enfoque lúdico

Metodologia para o desenvolvimento da competência ortográfica com abordagem lúdica

**Cite as**
Morla Guerrero, A., & Herrera Rojas, R. (2023). Methodology for the development of spelling competence with a recreational approach. Mendive. Revista de Educación, 21(3), e3409. https://mendive.upr.edu.cu/index.php/MendiveUPR/article/view/3409

The development of orthographic competence, as a singular component of the teaching-learning of spelling, remains fully valid today, since people in a general sense, and adolescents specifically, present countless writing errors from the first school grades to professional level, which affect the communication process. The objective of this article is to disseminate the main findings of the research carried out at the high school level in the Dominican Republic to transform this reality. The research approach was qualitative, from the application of a systematization of experiences of its main author, enriched with other methods of the theoretical and empirical levels. The results showed different regularities based on the analysis of the declared essential categories: teaching-learning of spelling, development of spelling competence and playful approach. The contradiction that exists between the insufficient development of orthographic competence in the students of the selected sample and their perceptions about it was demonstrated. The main scientific result was a methodology with a playful approach for the development of orthographic competence, which is applicable to different contexts, if it is adapted to existing conditions. This methodology considers the existing theoretical references, related to the teaching-learning of spelling, which, it could be determined, did not manage to organically integrate the needs, interests, and motivations of secondary level students.

Keywords: development of orthographic competence; methodology; playful approach.

El desarrollo de la competencia ortográfica, como componente singular de la enseñanza-aprendizaje de la ortografía, mantiene en los tiempos actuales plena vigencia, pues las personas en sentido general, y los adolescentes, en particular, presentan innumerables errores de escritura desde los primeros grados escolares, hasta el nivel profesional, lo que afecta el proceso comunicativo. El objetivo del artículo es divulgar los principales hallazgos de la investigación realizada en el nivel secundario de la República Dominicana para transformar dicha realidad. El enfoque de la investigación fue cualitativo, a partir de la aplicación de una sistematización de experiencias de su autor principal, enriquecida con otros métodos de los niveles teórico y empírico. Los resultados arrojaron diferentes regularidades partiendo del análisis de las categorías esenciales declaradas: enseñanza-aprendizaje de la ortografía, desarrollo de la competencia ortográfica y enfoque lúdico. Se demostró la contradicción que existe entre el insuficiente desarrollo de la competencia ortográfica en los estudiantes de la muestra seleccionada y sus percepciones acerca de ello. El principal resultado científico fue una metodología para el desarrollo de la competencia ortográfica con enfoque lúdico, la cual es aplicable a diferentes contextos, siempre que sea adaptada a las condiciones existentes. Esta metodología tiene en cuenta los referentes teóricos existentes, relacionados con la enseñanza-aprendizaje de la ortografía, los cuales, se pudo determinar, que no lograban integrar orgánicamente las necesidades, intereses y motivaciones de los estudiantes del nivel secundario.

Palabras clave: competencia ortográfica; enfoque lúdico; metodología; ortografía.

O desenvolvimento da competência ortográfica, como componente singular do ensino-aprendizagem da ortografia, mantém-se hoje plenamente válido, uma vez que as pessoas em geral, e os adolescentes, em particular, apresentam inúmeros erros de escrita desde as primeiras séries escolares, até o nível profissional, o que afeta o processo comunicativo. O objetivo do artigo é divulgar os principais resultados da pesquisa realizada no nível secundário na República Dominicana para transformar essa realidade. A abordagem da investigação foi qualitativa, a partir da aplicação de uma sistematização de experiências do seu autor principal, enriquecida com outros métodos dos níveis teórico e empírico. Os resultados mostraram diferentes regularidades a partir da análise das categorias essenciais declaradas: ensino-aprendizagem da ortografia, desenvolvimento da competência ortográfica e abordagem lúdica. Foi demonstrada a contradição que existe entre o desenvolvimento insuficiente da competência ortográfica nos alunos da amostra selecionada e suas percepções sobre ela. O principal resultado científico foi uma metodologia para o desenvolvimento da competência ortográfica com uma abordagem lúdica, aplicável a diferentes contextos, desde que adaptada às condições existentes. Esta metodologia tem em conta os referenciais teóricos existentes, relacionados com o ensino-aprendizagem da ortografia, que se pôde constatar não conseguiram integrar organicamente as necessidades, interesses e motivações dos alunos do ensino secundário.

Palavras-chave: competência ortográfica; abordagem lúdica; metodologia; ortografia.

The need to communicate adequately has always been a priority of the human being, hence the correct use of the signs of each language represents a social requirement; However, the 21st century, with its technological revolution, has brought many facilities that have become, in opportunities, detractors of the written communicative process, endangering the correct and effective communication that is needed in a civilized society.

As a result, there is a context in which the use of current spelling rules and regulations is not very useful for establishing the mechanisms that characterize the written communicative act. Thus, people in a general sense, and adolescents in particular, present innumerable spelling errors from the first school grades to the professional level. This reality has resulted in individuals with multiple communication deficiencies and direct affectations of the communication process, especially spelling.

Currently, various scientific concerns have arisen around the search for sustainable solutions that solve existing spelling problems. The reality is an absence of spelling competence that demands effective and immediate solutions.

The article assumes the treatment of spelling as the development of a competence, since it not only takes into account the appropriation of knowledge, but also the procedures for its use in daily life, as well as the axiological part (training in values), depending on the development of an integral being, who knows concepts, proceeds in correspondence with social demands, taking into account their values and emotional aspects as a social entity.

The Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic, MINERD, since 2016 has been working with the application of a curriculum at the preschool, basic and secondary education levels, based on competencies, with a view to training critical subjects, who not only acquire academic knowledge, but develop, values and assimilate procedures and social positions that contribute to individual, family and collective improvement.

In this sense, secondary education undergoes transformations that go from a mere repetition of contents, to the use of knowledge in situations of daily life, so that significant learning can be modeled as evidence of the development of competencies, to conclude studies at this level.

The results of the latest evaluations applied in the Dominican Republic show significant deficiencies in high school students, with regard to the Spanish Language. The students have shown low proficiency and poor development of spelling skills, as well as written production and reading comprehension.

This cycle corresponds to adolescents and young people between the ages of 13 and 18. A stage of significant hormonal, physical and social changes. From the disparity of situations and emotions that they experience, it is necessary to take into account their general characteristics for the design of a teaching-learning process that is enjoyable for them and in which they feel self-confident. These aspects can be achieved by applying a playful approach.

In the deepening of the search for scientific references, it was possible to appreciate that the topic of teaching-learning of spelling is still current, which denotes its relevance: Balmaseda (2002); Rodríguez & Sánchez (2018), Rodriguez et al. (2021), among others.

Regarding the conceptions of competence in general and the development of orthographic competence in particular, the works of the Council of Europe (2002); González and Navarrete (2021) stand out. Regarding the playful approach, there are Yagüé (2018), Pérez et al. (2020) and Garcia et. al, (2020).

These are the main references taken into account for the research developed, which will be presented in the discussion. Faced with this reality, the intervention of education professionals is needed to design tools that allow offering viable solutions to solve the current spelling difficulties. Precisely to respond to the need raised, the investigation arises, which gives rise to this article.

The novelty of the research lies fundamentally in this playful approach that characterizes the design of the methodology for the secondary level. Its importance and scope are given in the contribution of a scientific result that offers teachers modes of action to eliminate or reduce the spelling problems that they present and that responds to the learning style of the student of said level in the Dominican Republic.

The objective of the article is: to disseminate the main findings of the research carried out, whose main result is a methodology with a playful approach for the development of spelling competence at the secondary level in the Dominican Republic.

The results presented are transferable to different educational contexts where an improvement of the teaching-learning of spelling competence is required, provided that the interests and needs of the students are taken into account.

An investigation was carried out for the development of the spelling competence in the students of the second cycle of the secondary level of the Leadership Academy of the Universidad Central del Este (UCE) of San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic.

To carry out the work, the teaching-learning process of spelling at the secondary level was taken as an object; while the field of action is the development of spelling competence with a playful approach. The population under study is made up of the 45 students and nine teachers that make up the second cycle of the secondary level; The sample is of an intentional non-probabilistic type, made up of 18 fifth-year students of the second cycle of the secondary level of said institution, whose ages fluctuate between 16 and 17 years of age, as well as the 4 teachers who teach classes in Spanish at this grade.

The research approach was qualitative, based on the application of a systematization of experiences, as a method, where the detailed description of the processes was carried out with emphasis on the results that were obtained at each moment of the experience lived by the main author. . This systematization was enriched with other empirical level methods, such as: participant observation; Document Review; the in-depth interview with teachers and students; and the pedagogical test.

In addition, theoretical methods were used: analysis-synthesis, induction-deduction, systemic approach; to better understand the phenomenon studied, and delve into the factors that hinder the development of spelling competence.

The three basic categories developed in the research are named below and are defined in the results presented here:

The study was carried out in the period between September 2021 and January 2023. It was structured in two phases:

For the initial diagnosis, different instruments were applied that allowed to verify the development of the spelling competence in the students and the preparation that the teachers had for their direction. A pedagogical test was applied in which the students had to construct a text from a given communicative situation. The notebooks for the subjects Spanish Language, Social Sciences and Human Formation were also reviewed.

As part of the diagnosis, in-depth interviews were also carried out with the selected sample. Their objective was to determine the criteria about social value, personal interests, and expectation, as well as the methods they used to teach and learn spelling.

The participants in the research did so voluntarily and with the collaboration of teachers from the Spanish Language area during the extended school day. The respective permits were requested from the regular bodies that make this type of work possible (parents of the students and management of the educational center).

As stated before, a systematization of experiences was developed in which the criteria of Jara (2020) were followed, who maintains that this method produces significant knowledge and learning to appropriate the experiences, understand them theoretically and seek in them a transformative perspective.

As stated before, the research was focused on three basic categories, based on the use of methods to determine the theoretical and methodological foundation: teaching-learning of spelling, development of spelling competence, and playful approach. Next, the definition criteria of each assumed by the authors will be presented.

Teaching-learning of spelling: it is the dialectical communicative process of teaching and learning the spelling of the mother tongue, directed by the teacher, who organizes and socializes, with the active and leading participation of the students, who appropriate organically and significant of the orthographic contents. In this process, the interaction of the participants with their group, the community that surrounds them and their family occurs (Rodríguez et al., 2021).

Spelling competence: set of skills and attitudes that imply respect for the writing code, whose mastery is specified in: spelling knowledge, which covers the concepts, laws, principles and modes of action related to the spelling of the word, phrases and sentences and text; knowing how to do, which requires the development of abilities, habits and skills applied to knowing spelling; and knowing how to be, which demands essential values related to respect for the language that is spoken and written for the production of meanings in the written communicative act, as well as the care to access knowledge in order to dignify the language and the culture (Council of Europe, 2002).

In this process, it is important to develop the will and willingness to face the challenges that mastery of writing the language implies on the part of the student, who endorses the knowledge and responsibility of aspiring to optimal orthographic competence, for which which not only requires correct methods, but also awareness, aptitude and spelling attitude) (Rodríguez and Sánchez, 2018).

Methodology based on a playful approach: it is the way of directing the teaching-learning process of spelling, using methods and procedures that encourage interactive action and that offer the opportunity to learn without feeling the formal conventions of teacher supervision, but rather, working on the appropriation of knowledge from spontaneity directed through intrinsically intentional activities, but which, in the light of the students, are ways of having fun. It is a source of motivation, articulating subjective aspects with experiences in the educational environment (González et al., 2021).

In the application of the methodology, different aspects of the organization of teaching were combined: participation, collectivity, entertainment, creativity, competition and obtaining results in challenging situations. It is important to highlight that, among the benefits of applying this approach, the potentialization of problem-solving abilities stands out, a core aspect in the development of a competence.

Next, the results obtained in the diagnosis stage of the initial state of the mastery level of the spelling competence in the students of the second cycle of the secondary level are described, based on the aforementioned methods.

The starting point in the application of this method was the experience lived by the main author of the research, who is a teacher of Spanish Language in the educational center where the study is carried out; he has kept a record of the experiences resulting from the teaching of spelling for more than 12 years. Attention was focused on methodological approaches and the methods and procedures that were found to be most effective.

The main procedures followed for the reconstruction of the best experiences were the analysis of the experience record and the review of student notebooks selected from the different groups during the years between 2017 and 2022. In all cases, the correlation between the method applied and the results obtained by the students. From such recovery of the process lived, it was possible to determine that the best results were seen in:

By carrying out a critical interpretation of the review process of the documents that record the experiences that were systematized, it was possible to determine the usefulness of the use of the playful approach, competitive and challenging activities, the link of the orthographic contents with the communicative process and the systematic use of the technology.

The results of this reconstruction were disseminated in the group of teachers who work at the secondary level. In a professional development session, other teachers also presented similar experiences with the use of the aforementioned didactic elements.

With the participant observation, it was observed that in these the activities focused in a unidirectional way on taking notes derived from the explanations of the teachers, copied in the notebook; observation of some technological resources, group interactions; all of them characterized by the use of few dynamics that evidenced the use of playfulness.

Regarding the spelling component, this was always addressed in an isolated way, although with a practical approach, by giving explanations to the students and then evaluating them with independent activities.

As a general summary of the classes observed in terms of developing the orthographic competence of the students of the second cycle of the secondary level, it is concluded that some of the most important components of this competence are poorly treated at this organizational level, namely : the explanations of the phonological, lexical and grammatical elements necessary for written communication and all curricular orthographic contents, almost never highlight the importance and social utility of orthography. The activities of copying and reading are also still insufficient to solve the spelling problems identified.

It is also concluded that the component of the competence that received the most treatment from the work of the teacher is the theoretical part of spelling that includes dictation or copying of information and individual readings.

In the opinion of the authors, it is evident that from the classes actions that take into account the elements that make up the development of spelling competence have not yet been planned.

In order to achieve clarity in the presentation of the results of this stage, it was opportune to analyze the Dominican curriculum as a guiding document, since it establishes the general objectives that must be achieved in the subject of Spanish Language in the second cycle of the secondary level, the strategies to be used, the possible resources and means and the evaluation tools, as well as the graduation profile. For the purposes of this research, the analysis of this normative document made it easier to verify how, from its conception, the need to develop spelling competence is justified.

The analysis of the current curricular design has led the authors to identify the following difficulties in its conception:

It was applied to the 18 students of the fifth year of secondary school and to the 4 teachers that are part of the aforementioned sample, with the objective of verifying what their ideas about spelling are, its use in daily life, its importance and its mastery. personally. A semi-structured interview guide was used.

Regarding the role that each one assumes as a student, most understand that they must learn and be reflective, comply with school rules and demonstrate social values. This conception allows us to see adolescents who clearly know what the educational society and family demand of them in this stage of academic formation.

Regarding the value of spelling, the opinion was unanimous that it is very important and useful for correct communication.

The majority consider that their level is between good and very good in spelling, which denotes that there is an overestimation of the individual spelling level that does not correspond to their results.

The difficulties that they recognize individually are grouped into the following contents: use of punctuation marks, stress errors and grapheme changes.

In the interview with the teachers, it was found that they offer favorable criteria about the social importance of spelling for the comprehension and construction of texts related to their area of knowledge. However, those who are not of the Spanish Language do not recognize the role of their subjects in the process of developing orthographic competence. They consider that this is not a content that they should address in their classes. They also state that they lack preparation to direct this process, likewise, some showed their rejection of the use of technology for teaching and declared that they prefer the traditional style.

It was carried out in two parts, a first, where an exam was applied through the Google Forms platform to all fifth-year students and a second part in which they built a text from a given communicative situation related to their experiences. educational.

In conclusion, it can be affirmed that the pedagogical test showed the spelling deficiencies of the group, which, at that time, denoted serious spelling errors of all kinds. Of the 18 students that are part of the sample, only one had a spelling that demonstrates a medium level of development of competence, the rest showed a low level of development.

In short, the diagnostic process carried out made it possible to establish the main regularities based on the analysis of the declared essential categories. This demonstrates the contradiction that exists between the insufficient development of the orthographic competence in the students of the second cycle of the secondary level; which confirms the need to favor it from a methodology focused on the development of orthographic competence with a playful approach in this educational context, which constitutes the main result obtained in the second stage of the investigation.

This is the initial stage of the process. Its objective is to diagnose the initial situation of the behavior of the teaching-learning process of spelling in the given context.

At this stage it is recommended to prepare the necessary conditions to guide all the subjects involved in the teaching-learning process of the mother tongue, particularly spelling. Self-assessments of the individual level they present are made; the possibilities and disposition to solve them, the characteristics that, in his opinion, the actions that are carried out must have.

It is necessary to explain the procedure of each one of those involved in the development of the teaching-learning process and the characteristics of the actions during the classes and the activities that will take place.

The teacher/student's presentation is made in which a pedagogical agreement is established between them, through an open, sincere and constructive dialogue, to find meanings, clarify intentions and establish rules that allow the development of dynamic, fun and pleasant classes without affecting the quality of learning.

It is also important to pay special attention to the potential and shortcomings of students and teachers, so the diagnosis must be personalized, so that cognitive and affective-evaluative aspects are taken into account that allow them to act throughout the teaching-learning process. This implies knowing what knowledge they have, how they use it, to what extent they understand the necessity and importance of spelling and what disposition they have to carry out actions.

That is, the diagnosis must consider whether they know the theoretical and methodological aspects of spelling. It is also necessary to determine which spelling content they dominate better and in which they present difficulties and if they have skills and willingness to work as a team.

The methods that are recommended to be used in this first phase are: observation, documentary analysis, in-depth interview, analysis of the product of the activity, pedagogical test and methodological triangulation.

This phase includes the methodological actions that are part of it. Its objective is to develop students' spelling skills through the different activities of the teaching-learning process. This phase takes into account the potentialities and shortcomings arising from the previous phase of initial diagnosis.

It consists of the application of the different selected methods carrying out different actions for each of them. Each one is conceived from the class, since it is treated within the teaching-learning process. They are characterized by their diversity, dynamism and playful character, which responds to the psycho-pedagogical characteristics of the student in the second cycle of the secondary level.

In its procedure, this methodology takes into account the functional nature of spelling, since it seeks, after the detailed diagnosis is made, to satisfy the communicative needs, from which the motivation and interest in learning are born; Therefore, they must be closely linked with the rest of the components of the Spanish Language.

Below is a brief description of the different types of activities with a playful approach that are recommended to be carried out at this stage:

Next, the general methods of didactics and the particular procedures for teaching orthographic contents that this methodology recommends will be explained.

The general didactics methods that are followed in this methodology are those conceived for the teaching of Spanish, based on the binary classification, which attends to the external aspect (teacher-student interrelation): expository, independent work and joint elaboration, and the internal (based on the development of students' cognitive activity): familiarization, reproduction, production or application and creation.

In this methodology, different procedures are assumed for the teaching-learning of spelling. In all of them it is essential to emphasize prevention rather than correction. Among them, the following are recommended: dictation in its different variants, copying, learning spelling rules, self-direction of word learning, cacography, spelling demarcation, and the viso-audio-gnostic-motor method, among others.

Regarding the means and resources for teaching-learning, it is possible to apply, in this methodology, different means such as traditional and digital blackboards, student notebooks, collective spelling profiles, glossaries of terms with and without digital tools, technological means (computer, tablets, telephones), physical and digital dictionaries, as well as others that teachers consider necessary or are created by them.

It is possible to use the different forms of organization of teaching, although it is conceived to be developed, essentially, during the class.

For the evaluation, the criteria that for this component conceive the Dominican curriculum as a systematic and continuous process of collecting relevant information are followed so that teachers and students recognize and appreciate the effectiveness of teaching and the quality of learning of orthographic contents, from a comprehensive approach to it, that is, it is not an end in itself, but a means to contribute to educational improvement.

Its formative nature must always be taken into account, that is, errors must be known and discussed by students, regardless of the moment and context in which they occur, whether at the beginning, during or at the end of a didactic sequence. In addition, it is very important that the evaluation criteria are clearly defined in the planning, from a formative conception, because when the level of mastery of the competences is evaluated, the errors provide important information to the educational community to identify the adjustments to be made. The application of self-evaluation and co-evaluation contribute to the development of self-esteem, criticality and the ethics of responsibility.

The evaluation process is also recommended to be participatory, self-reflective and critical. All those who intervene in the teaching and learning processes have the opportunity to assess learning: parents, teachers, classmates, and, above all, the students themselves.

The teacher divides the class into groups. In each group a spelling policeman will be appointed. The teacher gives them several sentences and in them there are words with misspellings. Each police officer must go to the other groups and identify the errors in the words. Group members can ask the police officer to justify which law violates the word to be misspelled.

This activity consists of writing polysemic words on posters or palettes so that students can identify their different uses and meanings. For each correct use that they manage to identify, they earn a point. At the end of the class, they will be able to change the number of accumulated points for prizes created or contributed by the students and teachers themselves.

Hereinafter, the main findings and their impact on the conception of the proposed methodology are presented, for which the logic of the order of the analysis categories that were declared is followed: teaching-learning of spelling, development of competence spelling and playful approach.

Regarding the teaching-learning of spelling, as a process, the particular methods exposed by Balmaseda (2002) are assumed, who considers that these are given in the binomial that determines it (teaching-learning), where mastery of spelling is important. analysis, problem solving, cognitive independence, without prejudice to the teacher-student and student-student interrelationship; that is to say, he considers that methods should be used that contribute to achieving that dynamism that tends to the activity to achieve an attraction for the matter that the content alone does not achieve.

His methodological vision of analysis for spelling work has a special connotation in the methodology. Its main limitation is given by the non-integration of this teaching linked to the use of new technologies, caused by the historical context in which their research was carried out.

Rodríguez & Sánchez (2018), consider that spelling is not just a set of rules, but also constitutes a writing system where the processes of understanding and construction of meanings are essential. This consideration is taken into account in the proposed methodology, since it is recommended that the spelling of the word, the phrases and sentences and the text be worked on, always within its linguistic context.

For their part, Rodriguez et. to the. (2021), refer, in terms of teaching methods and the way to attend to spelling, to the need for teacher preparation to face the problem, with emphasis on full mastery of the diagnosis of spelling needs or deficiencies that they present. the students.

They offer a definition of the teaching-learning process of spelling which includes aspects taken into account in the construct that is elaborated as one of the conceptual results: the role of the teacher and the student's interaction with the group, the community and the family, as scenarios of direct influence on spelling learning.

Despite the fact that the curricular conception by competencies has been highly questioned in some contexts, taking into account the ideological approaches that are assumed, it is evident that its use is increasingly accepted in the scientific literature worldwide. In the case of Latin America and in particular, in the Dominican Republic, curricula have been designed that follow this conception.

In relation to orthographic competence, the criteria given by the European Council (2002) are assumed, since this is an international reference of recognized scientific relevance and assumed by the teaching of languages worldwide, in addition to being in correspondence with objectives of the research described in this article and because it is closely related to the definition of competence offered by the Dominican curriculum,

Machado and Montes de Oca (2020), as well as Lizitza and Sheepshankss (2020), argue that competencies constitute a challenge for pedagogical research, both at a conceptual, curricular and didactic level, since it has been shown that, despite designing curricula From this perspective, through the application of many instruments, it continues to be evident that students do not have tools (skills) to face their future.

Perez et al. (2020), state that, within the most recent advances in linguistic science, it is considered pertinent to evaluate the relationship between the spelling abilities of individuals and their cognitive faculties, especially those related to memory and perception. Their considerations are taken into account for the diagnosis, although the context in which the research of these authors was applied is different from the one studied for this article.

Rodríguez & Sánchez (2018), with respect to this category, highlight the value of the will and willingness to face the problem on the part of the student, who endorses the knowledge and responsibility of aspiring to optimal spelling competence, for which Not only correct methods are required, but also spelling awareness, aptitude and attitude, aspects that are taken into account in the different phases of the methodology, from diagnosis to evaluation.

When analyzing the playful approach category and the theoretical references that support it, both the definition of playful in general and the playful approach should be considered, since to understand the latter, it is important to take the former into account.

Barroso (2022), states that the concept of playful is broad and complex, since it covers both human communication needs, feelings, as well as emotions oriented towards enjoyment and entertainment, as a source of emotions. These aspects, within the proposed methodology, are taken into account, both in the forms of organization of teaching, and in the activities that are generally conceived.

For their part, González et al. (2021) assume the playful approach as a source of motivation, articulating subjective aspects with experiences of the educational environment. Precisely, its characterization presents key aspects, since this approach offers the opportunity to learn without feeling the formal conventions of the teacher's supervision, but rather, working on the appropriation of knowledge from spontaneity directed through intrinsically intentional activities, but which, in the light of the students, they are ways of having fun.

In line with the above, García et. al (2020), argue that the playful is used as an educational technique that helps the student to develop creativity, interest, in order to enhance their abilities to solve problems. It is important to highlight in this reference that, among the benefits of the application of playfulness in didactics, the potentialization of problem-solving abilities stands out, a core aspect in the development of a competence.

It should be noted that in all the cases referred to in this category, they are results of investigations carried out fundamentally, at the primary level and in the last of them, the playful one is assumed as a tool, but the constructed methodology is not limited to a simple technique, but to a whole didactic approach.

The fundamental psychological referent of this approach is assumed from Yagüé (2018), who states that adolescence is a period of re-elaboration and restructuring of the personality, of qualitative changes in a short time and sometimes of radical rupture, depending on the particularities, the interests and relationships the child previously had. At this stage, the need for self-affirmation of the personality is paramount; He spends a large part of his time in school activity and study and there is a variation in his relationships, the multiple scenarios in which he participates are more affected and many times, the events experienced are overstated.

The analyzes presented up to here allowed us to conclude that there are limitations in the referents consulted about the proposal of a methodology that organically integrates the methods of general didactics with the particular methods of teaching-learning of spelling, which takes into account the needs, interests and psycho-pedagogical characteristics of adolescents at the secondary level, from a playful approach, such as the one outlined, derived from the research carried out.

The elaborated methodology is very useful for the teachers and students of the educational center where it took place, since it offers a holistic procedure for the development of orthographic competence, in correspondence with the curricular model designed by MINERD, which takes into account the characteristics of these, as well as their possibilities for the achievement of the improvement of the difficulties that currently arise. Therein also lies its relevance.

The methodological value of this result offers didactic procedures with an adaptable character to the results of the particular diagnosis of students and teachers. It is applicable because the way in which the phases have been conceived allows their development from different scenarios. They can be generalized, although methodological preparation is required on the part of those who assume them; as this can be a limitation in some cases.

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The authors participated in the design and writing of the work, and analysis of the documents.