Any input on this spelling issue or what am I doing wrong.

[lynn]

DD can read the biggest words without hesitation. She does generally good in spelling the words, blends and sounds we are learning. However, when she writes something on her own it would seem....the only way I can put it, she has a hearing or speech problem. people - pepall, brothers - buthers, follow - fallo, dreams - demas.

 

She is 7 in the first grade, completed Phonics Pathways in combination with 100 easy reading lessons last summer and I am doing Abeka 2nd grade with her. I felt she was ready for this since it was way to easy for my oldest when he was in second grade and my second ds did very well in first grade with Abeka second.

 

Do I need to go back? I do make a list of words I see her misspell and they become our "extra" spelling words for the week. Should I be concerned? Did I miss something?

[Lori D.]

No expert here, but based on the details in your post, here are my thoughts, FWIW:

 

1. Looks like very normal mistakes for her age.

Honestly, for only being 7, I would have jumped up and down with joy if either of my DSs were even trying to sound out/spell multi-syllable words ("people"; "brothers", "follow") and words with more advanced vowel patterns ("dreams"). JMO, but she seems very normal, maybe even a little ahead in spelling! First grade spelling is usually one syllable words, short vowels, and a handful of sight words...

 

To me, your DD looks like she is actually doing a great job of applying the phonics she's learned so far to attempt to spell some advanced words. For example: "brothers" -- the "o" has the short "u" sound, so she used "u" as the vowel; she also got BOTH the "th" and the "er" which are advanced sound spellings; all she did was forget the "r" -- easy to do when simultaneously writing/spelling. Similarly with "follow" -- the first syllable sounds like "fall", the second syllable sounds like "o" -- she perfectly applied phonics here!

 

 

2. Realize: spelling practice/tests is a VERY different thing from spelling while writing. Have different expectations.

Spelling and writing are processed in VERY different portions of the brain, which usually mature at different times. Learning to simultaneously think of what to write, accomplish the physical act of writing, AND simultaneously spell/correct spelling is a pretty big juggling act that the average student doesn't settle into until along about age 9-12. Your DD is young; likely she'll mature into the ability to simultaneously write/spell in her own developmental time frame.

 

 

3. Make proof-reading a step in the process of writing.

Because it IS so hard to simultaneously juggle writing and spelling, just make proof-reading a natural step in DD's process of writing -- which, it should be for everyone. You brainstorm. You write. You revise. You proof/edit. And not always all in one sitting. For many, those are 4 completely separate steps, done at completely separate times, which allows the brain to focus and concentrate on one type of task at a time. GREAT if you can do all of it at once.

 

But it's the earlier you can train students to realize that writing is composed of several steps, it helps them not be so resistant later on when they will HAVE to revise, and so they don't think, "There! Words on the page! I'm done with the writing assignment!", or that "I wrote something -- it's sacred, and not to be touched or changed!" (lol)

 

So, let DD write. Then set it aside. Let at least 10 minutes to an hour pass to allow her brain to "change gears", and then make proofing another step in the writing process.

 

 

4. Work on word pronunciation.

Most of your DD's spelling errors look to be "good guesses" and come close through sounding out. When doing spelling practice/tests or giving her the spelling when DD is writing, be sure when you pronounce the word very clearly and correctly -- and even more important, have DD pronounce the word after you BEFORE she starts writing it down -- make sure she is hearing it correctly to be able to sound it out correctly. ("bit" vs. "bet")

 

 

5. Hearing check-up

If, after implementing having DD pronounce words and she seems like she keeps mishearing and/or mis-repeating sounds, then definitely go for a hearing check-up to make sure there is no impairment.

 

 

BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[Lolly]

DD can read the biggest words without hesitation. She does generally good in spelling the words, blends and sounds we are learning. However, when she writes something on her own it would seem....the only way I can put it, she has a hearing or speech problem. people - pepall, brothers - buthers, follow - fallo, dreams - demas.

 

She is 7 in the first grade, completed Phonics Pathways in combination with 100 easy reading lessons last summer and I am doing Abeka 2nd grade with her. I felt she was ready for this since it was way to easy for my oldest when he was in second grade and my second ds did very well in first grade with Abeka second.

 

Do I need to go back? I do make a list of words I see her misspell and they become our "extra" spelling words for the week. Should I be concerned? Did I miss something?

 

 

You don't need to go back. You don't need to add extra spelling words. You don't need to have her correct everything she writes. You don't want to make her hate writing.

 

So, what do you do? Has she had these words as spelling words? Does she know how to spell them? If not, just continue on; she'll get to them. If she does know how to spell them, realize that writing is different. It requires so many different processes to occur at the same time that some of them are going to be dropped/forgotten. Spelling and punctuation are the first to go. So, have her read her assignment looking for spelling errors. (Do this as a scheduled activity, not as addition to regular lessons.) See if she can spot her mistakes. If she cannot, point them out to her. Compliment her efforts. She actually did fairly well up there! She spelled them like she hears and says them. That is awesome for her age! You can have her rewrite with corrections as handwriting practice. Again, instead of; not added to!

 

Whatever you do, try to be more encouraging than discouraging about her writing when you are talking to her. You don't want to pick apart everything she writes. Think about how you would feel if everything you did was just criticized. Make sure to say at least 2X as many positive things as negative. You don't have to pick out every single misspelled word. Just point out the ones that you know for certain she should be able to spell. All that said, it looks to me like she is doing pretty well for her age. Is it possible that your other children have just had the "spelling gene"? It has always seemed to me that people can either spell easily or they can't.

[Ellie]

Phonics rules and spelling rules are not the same thing. It just looks to me as if she needs help with spelling--which I would expect with a child who is just 7yo. :-)

[lynn]

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. She is my very creative child, always writing storys or in her "diary".

[PachiSusan]

I have a 9 year old who at 7 and 8 wrote JUST like your daughter. I did nothing but concentrate on her spelling words and keep her writing. I would correct the words with her and pick one or two each week for her to work a little harder on. Other than that, I did nothing. My friends told me that there are two components: decoding and encoding. My daughter was GREAT at decoding (phonics, reading, breaking down unfamiliar words) and abysmal at encoding (turning it around and spelling).

 

One other thing that happened is that we moved away from her best friend and I allowed them to text chat on the computer and my phone. Her friend is a year older and corrected her spelling a lot and told her she couldn't understand her. That was a big motivator as well! ;)

 

Be patient. It will come. My daughter is now an A+ speller and writes stories with few mistakes now.