Spelling text: Spelling and Vocabulary (Houghton Mifflin)
Children develop spelling strategies through purposeful daily reading and writing. Children are most interested in learning to spell words they need to use to communicate. The more children read and write, the better they read, write, and spell.
Three strategies will be emphasized in helping your child become a better speller:
- discovering and applying the rules and patterns
- proofreading
- using the dictionary and other resources
When your child asks you how to spell a word, here are some questions you can ask that may help him/her figure out the correct spelling:
- Does it look right?
- Can you try writing it another way?
- How does the word start? How does it end?
- Have you seen that word somewhere else? Can you find it for me?
- What sounds do you hear?
After your child's attempts, verify the spelling by confirming the correct spelling or supplying it.
Keep in mind that the goal is not perfect spelling, which we as adult are still developing. The goal is to have children become more aware of spelling strategies and to be able to express themselves legibly, competently, and confidently when writing. Remember, there is no reason to learn to spell if you don't write; writing must come first.
Here are some suggested writing activities to promote writing at home:
- notes to each other - phone messages
- greeting cards and invitations - postcards
- lists for shopping, trips, gifts, parties - puzzles
- letters to grandparents, relatives, and friends - imaginative stories
- signs - jokes and riddles
- posters - cartoons
- bumper stickers - menus
- recipes - map for a planned trip
- songs - diary of a trip
- phone messages - cartoons for photo stories
from Invitations by Regie Routman