Correct Spelling of Words: The Need for Literate Spellers
Why is spelling important? The correct spelling of words is essential for everyone. Read all about spelling, why it is important, and how to improve spelling.
Successful spelling is a thinking activity, not a rote memorization activity. Being able to improve spelling is a multi-sensory task that requires tremendous brain power, repetition and strategic thinking.
This is when we will start to see students using the correct spelling of words in their everyday communication.
Why Does Correct Spelling of Words Matter?
Facilitating professional communication
Consideration of the audience to which the writer is trying to reach
Without a working knowledge of spelling strategies, invented spelling and spell checkers become crutches that enable us to actually stop thinking, thus promoting ignorance
Spell checkers do not always work anyway: i.e. grammar, homophones, etc.
High stake tests are generally taken in longhand: if you can't spell, you may not pass
Your good intentions in your creative story ideas will be overshadowed by spelling and grammatical errors
Correct spelling prevents misunderstanding
You are more credible as a writer when your written work is free from error
How to Improve Spelling in Your Classroom
Spelling is learned as we use it.
Teachers need to provide multiple writing opportunities for different purposes and audiences
Provide a rich literacy environment that has Word Walls available
Allow inventive phonetic spelling in the emergent and early letter name alphabetic spellers only
Teach proofreading skills to correct spelling - visit Power Proofreading for a fun, interactive site
Respond to your students' writing. Use their misspelled words to model correct spelling in your return message
Learning to spell is part of the developmental process of learning to write.
Teachers must understand developmental spelling
Match teaching strategies to needs
Scaffold on spelling knowledge and be keenly aware of when intervention is needed
Errors are diagnostic signs.
Students' errors should guide a teacher's instruction in spelling
Errors lend important clues to the strategies children are trying to implement in their writing
Playing with words and vocabulary are essential to learning correct spelling of words.
Read My Mind - call out clues for a word for students to spell
Illustrate spelling words to demonstrate understanding of meaning
Self Evaluation is critical to growth
You must teach proofreading skills. I teach basic proofreading to my second graders - they can do it. Knowing when a word doesn't look right is an essential step to the correct spelling of words
Help students set goals and identify spelling areas they need to work on
Teach students to use different strategies at the same time to spell correctly
Teach students how to learn new words and expect them to use it
Strategies can include: Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check; Tap out the sounds; Visualize the word, Look for words within a word; Break it into syllables; Use knowledge of prefixes and suffixes
Use analogy strategies: consider known words when writing new words, like chick and tap can spell "chap."
When your students start to apply these strategies consistently with difficult spelling words, you will know they are on their way to knowing the correct spelling of words.
Remember: Successful spelling is a thinking activity, not a rote memorization activity.
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