How to handle spelling errors?

[ELaurie]

Ds 10 struggles with spelling.

 

We use AAS 4, and WWE 4, and he's making slow but steady progress in both areas. I watch him while he does assignments for WWE, and correct his spelling as he writes, as the instructions suggest.

 

However, I would like for him to begin doing more of his written work for history and other subjects independently this year.

 

This week, he wrote two sentences for history, and made several spelling errors.

 

It's a new skill for him to write sentences and brief summaries independently, and I'm undecided about the best way to approach spelling mistakes with him. (These aren't necessarily words he would have encountered in AAS at this point.) Should I correct spelling errors as they occur, or have him do his work independently, and then go back and correct errors later?

[Mallory]

I have a few different levels of spelling depending on the subject. My boys are 9yo 4th grade and almost 11 yo 5th grade.

 

For writing and spelling, every word must be spelled correctly. In writing we pick out 4 or 5 that are spelled wrong and he copies them correctly 3 times, then we just correct the rest. For short reports in science or history, again, final drafts have to be spelled correctly.

 

But in our science and history notebooks, where they write thier narrations and draw, I ask if they want me to help them fix spelling. Sometimes they say yes; sometimes they say no.

 

For nature journals and free writing I only fix it if they come to me and ask for help spelling.

[MerryAtHope]

I like to think about the point of the assignment. If the point was for my child to get their thoughts on paper, and we are not taking the time to revise this assignment, I don't worry about most spelling errors. If I notice words that they should know from AAS, I put them on a card (without alerting my child to this) and add them to daily review (or look up the card if one exists already). Here's a blank word card form . Too much focus on spelling and mechanics for a child who struggles to get words on paper can just make them shut down. (In fact, one of my goals this year is just to help my son get un-blocked).

 

Here's an article that explains more in depth about how to handle spelling errors in their writing and how to help kids to use more of their spelling skills in their writing, from an AAS perspective. HTH!

 

Merry :-)

[NanceXToo]

I agree with Merry- when he's writing a rough draft, it's not important whether he punctuates correctly, spells words correctly, etc. It's important to get his thoughts down on paper. Once he's done that, he should proofread his paper and make corrections. After he's had a chance to make his OWN corrections, then I'd go over what he has and at that point you can help him with words that are still spelled wrong, grammar, etc.

 

In regard to spelling review, in general, what if you make a note of his spelling errors over the course of a given week. Make a list, for yourself, I mean.

 

At the end of the week, if the list is long, shorten it to the ones that would be most commonly used or that are most commonly misspelled or whatever and get, say, a final list of 10 words together.

 

The following week, review those 10 words with him in fun, creative ways. Let him write them on the sidewalk with chalk. Let him draw them in the dirt with a stick. Let him trace them in a tray of salt with his fingers. Pass a ball back and forth to him while you take turns chanting the letters of the word aloud. My daughter also liked doing spelling review in ways such as making a "small town map" and naming the buildings and streets after spelling words, making a "windsock" out of a paper plate and crepe paper streamers and writing the spelling words on the streamers, writing the word with a big bubble letter for the first letter of the word and then decorating or coloring that letter, etc.

[ELaurie]

I agree that it's important to strike the right balance between allowing him to get his thoughts down on paper, while at the same time moving toward greater accuracy in spelling, as everyone suggested. Thanks, Merry, for the link to the article from AAS, and the blank card form, and to NancX for ways to make spelling fun. Mallory, your idea about levels of spelling addressed my question in a helpful way.

 

I've entered all of the spelling words from AAS levels 1-4 in the Spelling City site for review. My dc also enjoy an activity we call "Spell and Skate" during which they roller blade in circles and I call out spelling words for them as they go by :)