From "How do you spell...?" To Becoming An Independent Speller

For those of you who have been around for a minute, sorry, but here comes another story about my kids...

I have 4 kids - ages 6, 7, 9 and 10. They are all at different stages in their reading development, but sometimes I feel like they are all at the same stage in their spelling development. That stage is called, "How do you spell...?"

This is not an official spelling stage, but it gosh darn should be, and how the heck can we get our kids out of it?!

My ABSOLUTE favorite reply to the question that has been asked and answered multiple times is, "You tell me".

My ABSOLUTE favorite reply to, "How do you spell...?" is, "Tap it out".

Let me elaborate...

A wise woman once taught me that decoding (reading) is like taking a toaster apart, but encoding (spelling) is like trying to put all the pieces of a toaster together. Taking it apart is a whole lot easier than trying to put it together. Spelling is tough, but with reliable strategies and lots of practice, it gets easier.

In every Orton Gillingham based lesson, there is a general flow: review, guided discovery, explicit teaching, and practice. This practice includes decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling), for whatever concept that is being taught. During the decoding portion, we teach readers reliable strategies to figure out unknown words. During the encoding portion of each lesson, we do the same...

Strategy #1: "Pound the syllables. Tap the sounds"

Erin and I use this strategy in every encoding lesson throughout our program LIFT OFF! to Literacy. "Pound the syllables. Tap the sounds".

Let me explain. When a child comes to a word they don't know how to spell, they are taught to pound the syllables with their fist, then tap the sounds on their fingers, one syllable at a time, as they write. Pounding the syllables breaks a word into manageable chunks. Then, each sound in the syllable gets a finger tap. Each sound is converted to a letter(s). It adds a multi-sensory piece to spelling which activates the brain and slows down the spelling process. This helps to avoid unnecessary errors.

Strategy #1 is the golden ticket. Click HERE to get the image above in printable form.

Strategy #2: "Use Your Resources"

This quote is right up there with, "You tell me" and "Tap the sounds". "Use your resources" means to use the materials your child has at their disposal to solve their own problem. Most of the time the word they want to spell is used within the question being asked, or the text they're reading.

Strategy #3: The Personal Dictionary

I absolutely know that my kids ask for the spelling of a certain set of words ALL the time. Because of this, they now have a 'personal dictionary'. This can be organized in a number of ways. My personal favorites are either alphabetical, or by category/topic. For my youngest, I sometimes draw a picture next to a word. (If you're someone with a larger disposable income than myself, there are amazing picture dictionaries you can purchase, but I just quit my job to run this business so we're using sticky-notes and scrap paper).

Strategy #4: Heart Words

Ok. This is a blog post on its own, which we've done...Click HERE... Heart words, also commonly called sight words or high frequency words, are words that kids encounter frequently in their reading and have a part that can't be sounded out. This part is called the "heart part" because you have to know it by heart. Include these commonly used words in your child's personal dictionary.

Heart words could, and will be, an entire course in our future, but for now, check out our FREE Heart Word Handbook if you're curious about how to help your child with these words.

Strategy #5: Sticky-Notes

If you know your child is going to need certain vocabulary words for whatever they are working on, have them give you a list and you write them down on a sticky-note before they start whatever they're working on. This will save you from having to answer the dreaded, "How do you spell...?" 10 times in a row. Some words are just above our kids' developmental spelling level, which is totally fine, but we don't want them to shy away from using awesome vocab.

My biggest advice... practice and patience. Your child is just as frustrated as you are with spelling. Using these 5 strategies, some of that frustration will slip away. Over time, with practice, spelling will get easier and then finally become fluent (until you hit those words that even I have to Google for the correct spelling - be honest - you too!). Which brings a thought to mind... If I have to use assistive technology every once in awhile, why are we keeping our children from "using their resources". I absolutely believe in the 5 strategies I've listed above, but especially for an older child, let them type and use spell check. Their eye is being drawn to correct spelling errors with that dreaded, red squiggly line. Multiple exposures to that red squiggle and they'll get it right next time.

My OG training is telling me to lead you back to Strategy #1. Seriously. Read it again. It really is the best best advice I can give you in helping your child become a more independent speller.

Check out the LIFT OFF! to Literacy Reading Program if you'd like Erin and I to give your child a helping hand. Each phonics concept has an entire lesson focused on encoding (spelling). We'll teach your child the methods that work from writing sounds to words to sentences.

And for those who need a bit of executive functioning support (my hand is raised), we include a checklist of tasks for each phonics concept, and a customizable coupon for when the tasks are complete.

I wish I had a customizable coupon at the end of my to do list...Stay tuned...