Spelling study has long been a part of the curriculum for both elementary and middle schoolers. With roughly 36 weeks in the school year and a new spelling list containing 10 new words each week, most students will learn to spell at least 360 words each school year.
What is the Study of Spelling Called?
Let’s start with a fun fact before go further. Orthography is the official, very academic-sounding term for the study of spelling, although you’re unlikely to see that on the list of subjects on your child’s report card.
What is the Best Way to Study Spelling?
Devote time each day to spelling study to maximize your efforts. If your child is given a spelling list containing 10 words for a test the following week, focus on a few words from the list each day. While it is admittedly a very old school method, writing out each spelling word 10 times each does provide an easy way to familiarize your child with their spelling word list. The routine can provide a level of comfort and increase confidence.
However, if your child is getting ready for a spelling bee, the best preparation is to practice by exposing your child to words he hasn’t seen before by asking him to spell those new words out loud. Only have them break out the pencil and paper to write words they spelled wrong during these sessions. Try to simulate a spelling bee environment as best as you can. Pronounce the word and have the student spell the word out loud without the use of any aids such as paper and pencil.
How Do You Master Spelling?
Exceptional spellers are avid readers. They can easily spell a word you throw at them because they’ve likely seen it before! The only way to be exposed to a lot of words is by reading often. Reading alone won’t help you achieve master speller status, but it provides an excellent foundation upon which to build.
Is Spelling a Part of Word Study?
Word study offers an alternative approach to learning how to spell. So, in that sense spelling is not really a subset of word study. For performing well on weekly spelling tests, memorization can get you pretty far. Word study has many benefits and can help students understand patterns in words, but it’s not readily available in all classrooms due to it being a more customized approach. We will cover more extensive ways to make the most of your child’s spelling study in future articles beyond the tried-and-true memorization approach.