Are we Stuck with a Fixed Level of Ability in Spelling For Life?

What does a person need to know in order to improve their spelling for life? Some people are good spellers. Some people brand themselves as hopeless in that regard. Can your level of ability in spelling change?

There are some who say that correct spelling is not necessary. There are even some who go as far as to say that dyslexia is actually caused by our spelling system! These people often spend precious time dreaming up new, "simpler" ways to write the words of our language.

For a fantastic essay on spelling reform, and indeed all aspects of the English Language, I recommend "Mother Tongue" by Bill Bryson.

I do not mean to mock or criticize the spelling reform movement. I wish them all the best. But while we are waiting for their efforts to be universally accepted, I'd like to give you my personal and clinical perspective so that you can better decide for yourself as to whether a spelling program is worthwhile in your classroom or homeschool.

Whichever Way You Look at it, Language is a Code

I reply that it is simply a code that I've learned and practised and is no more freaky than learning the alphabet the right way up. It is not particularly hard to do after you've had the right amount of practice.

Spelling is the same thing. There is a code. Once you know the code and practise it as many times as you need to, it becomes easier.

There will always be some who are particularly good at spelling. There will be others who have strengths in other areas.The point is, though, that people can learn strategies to improve how they spell.

How To Invent a Spelling Program

They are also very thorough with a huge scope. To implement them well takes many contact hours. I was often at a disadvantagewhen using them for the following reasons:

Some students already had fairly good literacy skills and only needed to improve their spelling.

Some students lived far away and my time was limited.

Some students could only afford a small number of tutoring sessions.

The bottom line was, I needed to give them, and every other student, the most bang for their buck.

I started to analyse all the spelling assessments I had done over the years and noticed the general type of mistakes that repeatedly came up. Putting this information together with the particular mistakes that my current students were making, I was able to tailor-make individual learning programs for each student.

The strange thing was, every tailor-made program came down to the same basic set of rules and strategies.

A simple draft of this set of rules became the first version of Spelling For Life.

The Spelling Roadshow is Launched

Spelling For Life owes much of its success to these basic factors:

It actually works.

It doesn't require expensive materials.

The information can be used in many ways. It can be used as a complete program, a teacher's reference, or a supplement to a program that doesn't include spelling rules.

How Well are we Doing?

After every five hours of instruction, I give my students a test. Their results give me data on what I need to do to make their lessons even more effective. However, I also share that data with my students so that they can see the progress they've made. This makes our relationship open and constructive.

Every new student is given a progress sheet and on it they mark their particular goal. This is usually to reach their grade-level or just beyond. To that end, I have designed a progress sheet on spelling and other areas of literacy that I deal with. It is based on the Go Kan Ryu style karate belt system. I find that it appeals to my students and makes their targets more interesting than the normal colour/grade system that they get with their school readers.

This site will be constantly reviewing and listing assessment materials.

In the meantime, don't forget to sign up for your monthly edition of "Langauge Fountain", the e-zine that gives you exclusive access to the latest in literacy and language.

Just enter your details in the confidential form below.