Tag Archives: spelling

Help for the Spelling Challenged Student

When started homeschooling my kids I found most spelling workbooks used the same system of giving the student a list of words followed by a few short lessons. While this is enough for many students to learn without difficulty other students need additional reinforcement. My daughter is one of those students who requires additional creativity to stimulate her visual and tactile mind. I have found success with a weekly lesson plan I developed for my daughter. Monday On Mondays I hand out the new list of spelling words. First, each spelling word is said and spelled aloud. Next, the student … Continue reading →

Learning to Spell Through Dictation

Dictation is the process where the parent speaks while the child transcribes exactly what the parent is saying. This is a method used by, but not limited to those who follow the Charlotte Mason approach to home schooling. Dictation is primarily used to reinforce grammar and spelling skills. This is an effective method if done correctly and consistently. For the purpose of this blog I will focus on how dictation can be used to master spelling. The first step is to choose a passage from your child’s reading, the Bible, a Hymn, etc. to use for dictation. Give your child … Continue reading →

Spelling Matters for Parents Too

As focused as many of us parents are on our children’s education, we can sometimes be slackers with our own. Just because we have managed to get through high school or even college does not mean that the learning and improvements stop. How can we set an example for our children if we just throw up our arms and say “I’m a bad speller” or “I can’t do math”? We can still work on improving our skills and encouraging our children while we do so. I am not a naturally great speller. Fortunately, I do a lot of reading and … Continue reading →

Grammar Essentials

Unless you have somehow managed to establish and build a home business where you never write anything or say anything to another living soul–grammar DOES have a role to play in your business. I know there are some of you out there who do not want to hear that, and you might even think that YOUR customers are tolerant and patient and don’t care if you use proper grammar or not. That might be true to some extent, but eventually if you do not have a handle on decent grammar essentials, it could hurt your business. To set your mind … Continue reading →

Is Instant Messaging Ruining My Kids’ Spelling and Grammar?

I understand that language is fluid and as much as we would like to pin it down to just exactly what is documented in the Oxford Dictionary–that is not the way our language works. There are always changes and adjustments and new words and slang being added–but I cannot help but wonder if the internet, specifically e-mail and instant messaging (not to mention “texting”) isn’t doing some serious damage to my children’s writing, grammar and spelling skills? Sure, my kids are fast typists or great at “keyboarding” as it is now called–but they are NOT writing in full sentences here! … Continue reading →

What Does Spelling Have to Do with Dating?

My daughter says I am a language snob and I have to get over myself. This is one of my hang-ups when I am trying to do the instant messaging with my daughters—I just cannot get on board with all the abbreviations and acronyms and all that modern written lingo. I expect full sentences and capitalization otherwise I am just working too hard to figure out what is being said. My daughter is of the theory that this is really holding me back in my hipness. Not to mention, I am finding with the whole online and internet social networking, … Continue reading →

Spelling People’s Names Correctly

I have one of those names that just invites misspelling. Years ago, as a young kid, I got used to it and it is not something that bothers me—I answer to it however and I’ve gotten used to being called Carrie, Connie, Gloria and all sorts of other names that sort of sound like “Kori”—but I have found that some people get incredibly upset and agitated when their names are misspelled and in a business, this can mean the difference between a happy customer and bad public relations. I think it is definitely worth taking the time to make sure … Continue reading →

Phonemic Awareness

When I was in school, phonics was not a major emphasis. We perhaps learned a few rules but the teacher did not teach the dynamics of words. However many have now learned that teaching children to hear various sounds and see how they work together is very important. Because many parents are unfamiliar with the teaching of phonics they are confused when they see words such as phonemic awareness and phoneme segmentation. A lot have trouble pronouncing the words much less defining them. If I was not a teacher, I would have the same troubles. Phonemics awareness is the awareness … Continue reading →

V-Flash

For some children, learning is difficult. Now with V-Flash, an educational video gaming system, your child will have a blast learning things quickly and efficiently. For instance, the new V-Flash disks cover subjects such as social studies, animation, spelling, music styles, math, 3D modeling, fine arts, science, language arts, and more. Now you can watch your child blossom, actually enjoying the process of learning. Although V-Flash focuses on children between ages six and twelve, the truth is that children of all ages can enjoy this system. Unlike other video games, these games are action packed, colorful, and loaded with sound, … Continue reading →

Spelling Family Feud Rages On

The ugly battle between legendary TV producer Aaron Spelling’s wife and daughter is getting even uglier. Since the mogul’s death two months ago Candy Spelling and daughter ex-90210 star Tori Spelling have engaged in a highly publicized war of words. The latest chapter in the bitter dispute involves a special tribute Tori had planned to executive produce and host in memory of her late father. ABC had planned to air the televised memorial this fall, but according to PEOPLE Magazine, Spelling’s widow and Tori’s mom, Candy has blocked the project. A source close the project tells PEOPLE: “All of his … Continue reading →