Spelling is based on a letter and sound system that needs constant focus to develop automatic recall. Having quick letter and sound knowledge frees the brain to work on spelling. Early spellers  use letter and picture charts until they remember the letters and sounds without a prompt. http://www.letterboxlearntoread.com/productsThis strategy is also useful for older children who are experiencing spelling difficulties. This article is placing emphasis on the understanding of syllable, letters and sounds and their relationship to correct spelling.

Vowels in Syllables
You probably  remember the clapping of beats/syllables in words and never gave it another thought or even connected it to learning to spell. Clapping beats/syllables is a basic step in working out spelling. The first level is about knowing one syllable words and then two and so on. Knowing that a syllable contains at least one vowel gives the child information on what letters to look for in a word.  Sometimes this vowel sound is represented by a y that acts like a vowel. An example is the word sky. This word has one syllable and the vowel that sounds like the vowel, i. Another example is in the word, happy. The word has two syllables, hap and py. Hap has the vowel, a, and the second syllable is py, where the letter y is acting like a vowel and says an e sound.

This simple strategy,that follows, will make sure that each beat or syllable has a vowel sound in it. Once the word is written the child looks at the word and makes certain that it LOOKS right. If it doesn’t look right the child looks at the front of the word and checks it if it is, looks at the back of the word and does similarly, then finally looks at the middle of the word and follows suit. Once this step has been done the child checks that each syllable has a vowel or two. If there isn’t a vowel or vowels in each syllable the word is incorrect.
This one simple strategy of making sure that each syllable has a vowel or vowels will improve spelling and self- correction strategies immediately. This prized path to independence will bring invaluable rewards.

Ann Foster                 

Ann Foster is a teacher with a unique talent to provide back to basics step by step programs/products and tutoring for students in Australia and overseas. Her programs and products help children, teachers and parents to achieve extraordinary results quickly. She has a track record of bringing into action programs that are easy to follow and that achieve results. Her programs are tried and proven and bring clarity out of chaos. Ann has been working online teaching students and adults successfully for the last four years and has taken children from average results to well above. Letter Box staff solve problems and puts wings onto dreams.

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