Spelling Hints Part 1

For the next few days, I'll have a series of blog posts on Spelling Hints. If you've got some spelling tricks that you'd like to share, send them to goaskmom AT. goaskmom.com!

Get out index cards - the larger the better - and colored wide tip markers. Write one word on each card, but divide the word into syllables, and use a different color for each syllable. Use large letters:

ho li day taste trai ler

Show your child each card, and tell her, "Make a picture of this card in your brain. Keep looking at it until you can see it in your head without looking." When she says that she can 'see' it, then take the card away. Ask her to close her eyes and get the picture of the word bright and clear. Then ask her to spell it backwards. If she can do this, she's on her way to memorization.

Of course, this doesn't work with all children. Some children need other approaches.

~Try the traditional method of rote spelling, or using phonics.

~If your child is a kinesthetic learner, it may be helpful for him to spell the word while doing jumping jacks, or while swinging outside.

~Some kids need to have each word put to music, like b-o-l-o-g-n-a OR B-I-N-G-O, or R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

~Try the "sail" method, in which you write the word on lines, adding a letter on each until it is done (and looks like a sail):
b
br
bri
brin
bring

~Have your son use pipe cleaners to form the letters to the word.

~While practicing, you spell the word and let your son tell you which word you are spelling.

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