How should a teacher address a beginning-level English learner's omission of the inflection -s in regular plural nouns?

Providing explicit instruction in plural forms is the most effective approach for addressing a beginning-level English learner's omission of the inflection -s in regular plural nouns. This type of instruction directly targets the grammatical structure that the student is struggling with, helping them understand the rule and the significance of adding -s to indicate pluralization.

Explicit instruction can involve clear explanations, examples, and opportunities for students to practice using plural forms in context. This method not only teaches the specific rule but also reinforces the connection between spoken and written language, which is crucial for language development. Additionally, it allows the teacher to assess the learner's understanding and provide corrective feedback in a focused manner.

In contrast, selecting different assessment methods may not address the root cause of the omission, while practicing reading complex sentences could overwhelm a beginning learner who may not yet understand basic pluralization. Using visual cues for all nouns might assist in comprehension but wouldn’t specifically resolve the learner's omission of plural forms. Thus, explicit instruction in plural forms directly supports the student's language acquisition in a meaningful and constructive way.