Studying spelling words was once a regular part of every elementary or middle schooler’s routine. While spelling as a standalone subject has declined in recent years, studying spelling words is still a focus of the curriculum at many schools. As a result, many parents still benefit from identifying the best way to study spelling words.
What is the Best Way to Study Spelling Words?
If you’re trying to help your elementary or middle school child prepare for weekly spelling tests, you might be wondering what is the best way to study spelling words. Read on for a list of tips I’ve compiled to help your child breeze through their weekly spelling test.
- Identify what to study. If your main goal is for your child to do well on their spelling test, use their study time wisely. Study what will be on the test exclusively. Spelling tests usually cover a predefined list of words. You know the answers in advance! Study those words specifically. Clarify any confusion or concerns you have with your child’s teacher early in the week if the spelling test is on Friday, so you don’t waste any study time.
- Be prepared. Don’t wait until the last minute to study the entire spelling list. A minimum designated amount of time spent each day is preferable to an equivalent amount of time spent all in one sitting. (Exception: if you do want to be competitive at the highest levels of spelling bee competitions, you will need to have long study sessions. For weekly spelling tests in school, marathon study sessions aren’t necessary.)
- Write out the spelling words. There really is no substitute for writing out spelling words. When I participated in spelling bees in middle school, I wrote each word that I got wrong in a study session 5 times each. The additional practice using a different approach helps to reinforce the correct spelling. You don’t have to wait to spell the word incorrectly to practice writing spelling words. Start out your study by writing each word on your spelling list 5 or even 10 times each.
- Plan a practice run. Quiz your child just like the teacher will on the day of the spelling test. Say each word aloud and have your child write out the word.
- Use your child’s unique strengths and learning styles. Cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner outlined his theory of multiple intelligences nearly 40 years ago. Children learn differently and demonstrate different intelligences. If your child has strong linguistic intelligence, traditional ways of studying spelling words will work well for him or her. A child with a high degree of musical intelligence might benefit from creating a song that incorporates spelling words into it.
- Last minute review. Spend several minutes the morning of your child’s spelling test reviewing the specific words that presented difficulty during the week.
How Do You Memorize Spelling Words?
As old school as it sounds, the best way to prepare for a spelling test is to memorize spelling words that will be on the test. There is nothing extremely complicated about memorization. It simply involves repetition. Have your child recite each spelling word and spell the word aloud. Have them repeat this process multiple times. Also, have your child hand write each spelling word multiple times.