finding words in dictionary that you don't know how to spell

[Pam B]

Is there a way that you can look up a word in the dictionary without knowing the correct spelling? Or shall I say a METHOD? DH and I have different opinions on this. I think there is. I thought I read on here that you can, but can't find it.:bigear:

[Just Robyn]

If you go to an online dictionary, just type in how you think it might be spelled and it will give you options if what you typed in is not a word.

 

I have often used a dictionary (not online) to figure out how to spell words, or to check my spelling. Start by looking it up with your first guess as to how it's spelled, and if that's not right, try something else. So, if you know a word sounds like fep, try looking up fep, and if that's not a word, try looking up phep.

[ondreeuh]

Knowing the basic phonics rules is pretty important, like knowing when a word will start with k and not c. I suppose you could also look up a synonym and see if the work you're looking for is written in the definition.

[Pam B]

Hmm. I guess is what I'm trying to say, is is there a way to teach your kids.

 

Hubby and I both know how to look them up, whether we know for sure the correct spelling or not (usually I use Google), but I was thinking that there was an actual skill of how to do this with your kids. No?

 

It's ok. I might be going crazy. It's that time of year. :001_smile:

[razorbackmama]

That's something that always drove me nuts, when I would ask how to spell something and the answer was, "Look it up in the dictionary."

 

If I knew how to find it in the dictionary, then I'd already know how to spell it!:lol:

[Pam B]

That's something that always drove me nuts, when I would ask how to spell something and the answer was, "Look it up in the dictionary."

 

If I knew how to find it in the dictionary, then I'd already know how to spell it!:lol:

 

EXACTLY! See, people alweays to MEthat to- but, dah, right?! :tongue_smilie:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Im trying to work with my dc on this now :banghead: I just tell my 6th grader to write down how she thinks the word is spelled, and any other ways the words could be spelled and start looking them up based on how she writes the word.

[Pam B]

Okay, so there IS no "method!"

[lionfamily1999]

That's something that always drove me nuts, when I would ask how to spell something and the answer was, "Look it up in the dictionary."

 

If I knew how to find it in the dictionary, then I'd already know how to spell it!:lol:

I understand this completely, and yet... I say the same thing to ds.

 

We just start with the first letter and narrow it down letter by letter... iow, well it must start with "f" that much is obvious (flip to the fs). Now what makes and aeiou sound? Hmm... okay, well what come after that sound? Oh, an r, so then we check the vowels. It's not a very good method, still a lot of searching, but it's better than nothing...

[Mom-ninja.]

This is why I purchased Allographs Dictionaryfor my kids.

[Kareni]

This is why I purchased Allographs Dictionaryfor my kids.

 

This looks intriguing, Kleine Hexe. Has it been all that you hoped for?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Pam B]

I understand this completely, and yet... I say the same thing to ds.

 

We just start with the first letter and narrow it down letter by letter... iow, well it must start with "f" that much is obvious (flip to the fs). Now what makes and aeiou sound? Hmm... okay, well what come after that sound? Oh, an r, so then we check the vowels. It's not a very good method, still a lot of searching, but it's better than nothing...

 

Ah, man! ;) I was hoping someone would tell me an easier way! :lol:

I know that dictionaries have that phonetic symbol chart for spellings in the front, but... REALLY? :glare: I think the other way- process of elimination- is better, although still not great. :001_smile:

[Pam B]

This looks intriguing, Kleine Hexe. Has it been all that you hoped for?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

You're right it does. I'll have to try to find a sample page(s) some where. Kareni, does it help you kids, and how old are they?

[GESTEP]

I bought an electronic kids dictionary with spell correction. The method of searching was frustrating and usually was just skipped in daily writing. Now they will actually look up words when they don't know the spelling or meaning. We do still practice dictionary skills with an actual book but it makes life sooooo much better for everyone:thumbup:

I was taught the "best guess and search method" too but it is not very time efficient. That is the only method I know so I guess I am not much help to the OP.

[stripe]

I think it's a process of continually refined guesses. Some words are easier than others; some words are also located in sparser parts of the dictionary than others (and may "pop" out at you). I do think teachers are too quick to say "Look it up!" without ever explaining what that means, or what to do when your guess doesn't get you anywhere.

 

Sometimes words just are not spelled how you think they are, especially words from other languages ("ingenue," "appliqué," "coyote," "euphoric"). "Pneumonia" or "gnat," or even "knife," seem especially daunting if you don't know how they begin!

 

Also words like "Wednesday" (that people tend to pronounce as if it's "Wensday") or "anxious" -- words where the beginning is clear, but the middle is muddy, and meanwhile, there are so many surrounding words that it's hard to find in there.

[flmochamom]

Or shall I say a METHOD?

 

My method is to just spell as much of the word as I think they need. Sometimes that might be the entire word, sometimes it is just the "tricky" part, and sometimes, after "sounding it out", I don't need to spell any of it. This is especially true if the focus of the assignment is composition, journalling, narration, etc.

[Mom-ninja.]

This looks intriguing, Kleine Hexe. Has it been all that you hoped for?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I don't have the second one yet, so with just the first book it can be limiting to the number of words. The 1st book covers common English words. It's also not a definition dictionary. It is strictly spelling.

 

I do like it. Pages are set up by sound. When you turn to a page it then has colums of all the different ways to spell that sound and the colums are in order of most common spelling to least common spelling. In that way, you learn that when you are writing a word you know what spelling is most likely.

 

The set up takes getting used to, but it a good resource.

 

I bought the lessons to go with it, but you don't have to.

[smrtmama]

I think there is a method both phonics and an understanding of vocabulary roots play a role in that method. When my son doesn't know how to spell a word he's looking up, he identifies possibly spellings and then likely spellings. For instance, "f" sound could be spelled "f" or "ph," but if he knows the word he's looking up was in a conversation about sound/music, the likely spelling is "ph" (root "phon") so he'll start there. He knows a word starting with an "s" sound is most likely to start with an actual s, but if he doesn't find it there, he nows c is the next likely place.

[Kareni]

Allographs Dictionary

 

I do like it. Pages are set up by sound. When you turn to a page it then has columns of all the different ways to spell that sound and the columns are in order of most common spelling to least common spelling. In that way, you learn that when you are writing a word you know what spelling is most likely.

 

The set up takes getting used to, but it a good resource.

 

Thanks for the added details, Kleine Hexe!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mcconnellboys]

It used to be that if you knew the first three letters or so, you could hone in on it. Now, with the miraculous internet, you can just type in something like "meaning of myricle" or "spelling of myricle" and it should pull up the correct word for you, even if you're not getting the first three letters right.....

[siloam]

Ah, man! ;) I was hoping someone would tell me an easier way! :lol:

I know that dictionaries have that phonetic symbol chart for spellings in the front, but... REALLY? :glare: I think the other way- process of elimination- is better, although still not great. :001_smile:

 

Barton Reading teaches a child to use a Franklin Speller though as I understand it, if you go through the instructions that come with the speller you can learn all you need to use it.

 

The advantage of this is you can use wild card characters to represent sounds you don't know the spelling of, and it gives back a list of possible choices.

 

Heather

 

[lionfamily1999]

It used to be that if you knew the first three letters or so, you could hone in on it. Now, with the miraculous internet, you can just type in something like "meaning of myricle" or "spelling of myricle" and it should pull up the correct word for you, even if you're not getting the first three letters right.....

That's my back-up ;)

[rafiki]

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[skaterbabs]

That's something that always drove me nuts, when I would ask how to spell something and the answer was, "Look it up in the dictionary."

 

If I knew how to find it in the dictionary, then I'd already know how to spell it!:lol:

 

I've said that for years!! That's why I will just spell a word for my kids if they ask for help. There are too many words that can be really hard to locate if you don't already know the correct spelling.

 

Dictionaries are for learning the definitions of words - not the spelling. ;)

[ElizabethB]

My chart for spelling can help you get ideas for possible letters that could be used instead.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/Phonics%20Lsns/phonogramsoundch.html

 

There is also a dictionary for common misspellings:

 

Webster's New World Pocket Misspeller's Dictionary

 

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