Great Spellers are Made, Not Born!

 

The American Literacy Council states that 23% of American Adults (40.4 million) are functioning at the lowest level of spelling, an additional 28% (50 million) are functioning just above that level. This means that nearly half of all adults in America struggle with spelling. The percentages are not much better for school-aged children. In short, America has a serious problem with spelling. As Christian educators, we must stop ignoring or excusing this problem and must understand the causes and solutions to this educational epidemic in America.

The Problem Stated
Misspellings are distracting and can lead to serious misunderstandings and miscommunication. Misspellings can also harm one’s credibility since they imply that one does not care enough to ensure accuracy in communication. This, in turn, places the whole written message in a negative, unflattering light. The fact is, in our culture people equate spelling with intelligence. More importantly, misspellings can hinder and distract from the work of the ministry and the cause of Christ! 
 
Common Internal Causes
  • The lack of organization and basic study skills and habits of the student
  • Pronunciation, language, and hearing problems
  • Vision problems
  • Laziness and the lack of self-discipline
 
Common External Causes
  • Television commercials:  “spell relief – ROLAIDS”
  • DVDs and the film industry: slang, credits, etc.
  • Corporate America:  “Krispy Kreme”
  • Computers: video games, spell checkers, email, etc.
 
The Solution: Seven Strategies for Making Great Spellers (Parents and Teachers)
  • Give students a solid foundation with intensive phonics. Encourage reading out of class.
  • Provide spelling lessons that involve most of the senses.
  • Teach proofreading skills.
  • Have students say the words aloud as they spell them.
  • Provide plenty of meaningful practice other than just rote writing (such as teaching dictionary skills).
  • Teach students to use memory tips such as, “Write ‘i’ before ‘e,’ except after ‘c,’ or when sounded like ‘a,’ as in ‘neighbor’ and ‘weigh.’”
  • Emphasize the importance of good spelling and handwriting in every subject.        
  • Provide incentives and rewards for excellent spelling (display excellent work).

By Dr. Manuel Salazar