KEEP AN EXPERT AT THE HELM

Low levels in reading and spelling are worrisome for parents and teachers. We all know that students are learning spelling each week, scoring a few points on the Friday’s test and then forgetting the words over the following week.
This is a common problem. Parents and some teachers continue to go along with this ineffective way of spelling and children continue to fail. Let me tell you some important spelling facts that will  surprise you. Spelling can be fun and children can learn how to spell easily if they are taught in a simplistic way. I have developed a strategy for children in Letter Box spelling programs to make certain that failing is not an option!!!!!This is a simple rule that helps beginning spellers and those older children who are experiencing difficulties. This strategy will work because English spelling is based on a letter and sound system. The rule is WRITE WHAT YOU HEAR. 

Spelling Strategy
Right, so let’s have a look at this simplistic strategy. Say I ask a beginning speller to spell cat. He spells cat, kat. Now, if we believe that we write what we hear, we would have to say that this spelling is correct. It is correct at this level of spelling and it stays correct until the child reaches the second level of spelling, the visual level or learns a rule about the /k/ sound at the beginning of a word. If we follow this simple, natural way of spelling and develop skills and strategies as the child develops in his spelling knowledge, we will have great spellers and not spellers who have to remember spelling. Just follow this journey with me and your child will be in control of his spelling and you will be the happiest mother/father alive.

 Spelling & Writing
Spelling should be taught explicitly in lessons spiralling in complexity. There should be a PLAN. And, that plan should have specific components. In the meantime, in writing children should be allowed to write what they hear and be encouraged to use words that are beyond their spelling capacity at this time. In this way you will have a child who is creating great pieces of writing and a spelling program that will be developing step by step so that he misses none of the skills and strategies that he needs.

Your child will eventually be an expert speller. In order to be an expert in anything, a child needs to know that he will reap what he sows. If we deny our children the opportunity to feel the satisfaction that follows effort, we are denying them a life skill that relates to the link between motivation and results. Practically, a routine for spelling or tutoring needs to be organised. Not much time is needed to stimulate excitement and better results. BUT make sure that writing and reading happens each and every day, this simple routine will generate huge returns. Spelling supports reading and reading supports spelling. What a great relationship.

There is something else that you need to know, teachers need great parents to help them and parents need great teachers so let ‘s work together to create an educational system that raises education above the mediocre standard that we have come to accept. Your child can excel with simple, easy strategies and never experience the feelings that accompany failure. This means that you must begin NOW before bad habits reap their results.
To begin your routine, make certain that your child knows the letters and the sounds of the alphabet. Grab your FREE high frequency word at www.letterboxlearntoread.com

 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. 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. Her programs are tried and proven and bring clarity out of chaos. Letter Box staff solve problems and puts wings onto dreams www.letterboxlearntoread.com