First grade- should I correct or help their spelling?

[lgliser]

My kids are going into 1st grade. It will be our first year to HS. We are doing some summer work, including them writing in a journal every day.

They spell words wrong here and there. They sound them out as well as they can. Should I correct them at this point?

[PhotoGal]

I wouldn't correct them, but if they asked I would tell them (or maybe guide them with questions like "What sound do you hear first?").

[Forgiven]

I have a son going into 1st next year. I do not correct his spelling unless he asks for me to. Of course, he usually does ask me if he's correct. When he does, I ask him to say the word and then tell me the sounds he hears. Sometimes he figures it out on his own, but sometimes he spells the word wrong because he just hasn't learned the spelling rule needed for that word, so I tell him the rule and then he can apply it to the word and usually gets it right. Sometimes it's just a matter of how he pronounces a word and then we can work on that, which corrects his spelling.

 

If I ever correct his spelling without him asking me to first, he would get mad and shut me out. That's his personality though. He has to do everything on his own.

[bolt.]

At that age, I think 'kid spelling' is appropriate for most written work. I would not correct it as a part of 'doing writing' but I would make mental notes of what spelling concepts (or individual words) the child would benefit from being taught on other occasions.

[boscopup]

I wouldn't correct journaling. Do plenty of copywork, so they are practicing correct spelling. And if you notice a word being consistently misspelled in their writing, add it to their spelling list at a separate time.

 

Also, be a human dictionary. If they ask how to spell something, tell them. Learning to spell takes time, and it often doesn't click in original writing until closer to age 9. My oldest had horrid spelling in first grade (and was a very advanced reader), but now as he's about to turn 9, his spelling is pretty good. He just needed to practice writing correctly spelled words the last few years.

[Farrar]

They're going into first grade and they only spell words wrong here and there? Wowie. No, I wouldn't bother correcting. Especially not for a journal.

[Mommy22alyns]

No, not for a journal. When the girls ask how to spell something, I usually ask how they think it's spelled. 99% of the time, they already have it right. Also what boscopup said about copywork.

[chelsmm]

They're going into first grade and they only spell words wrong here and there? Wowie. No, I wouldn't bother correcting. Especially not for a journal.

 

 

That's what I was thinking! They sound like they are doing quite well. :) I would also not correct a journal unless asked. I would also make not of incorrect spelling and help them learn the rule or use the words for spelling lessons.

[ChristusG]

If its phonetically correct, then no.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

For 1st and 2nd it depends on the assignment. If I am having them write a few sentences for English/Writing then I will pick out 3 or 4 words and have them write the words correctly. These words go in a notebook for spelling. Any other word spelled wrong I correct it myself but let them know giving them the phonetic rule if one applies. I do encourage either asking or sounding out and look at the word that was misspelled...did they write it as it sounds phonetically?

[Guest BethSchart]

This sounds like a great time to create a word wall if you haven't already. Check out these sites.

 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/word-walls-work

 

http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/wordwall/

 

~Beth

[Kathleen in LV]

I take a different approach, and I'm sure some of you will think I'm crazy, but here goes. Let me preface this with the fact that I have only one child, so when he is writing, I'm not busy helping other children. Whenever my 6 yo son is writing anything, I'm available to help him with the spelling so that words are never written down incorrectly. He sounds out every word, and if he can't figure it out, I help him before it gets put on paper so that the word is written properly. (When he's writing history sentences, I let him look at the history text for challenging spellings of names & places.) Some of my reading has suggested that once something is written incorrectly, the incorrect spelling becomes more ingrained in the child, although I'm sure there are different schools of thought on this point. In any event, just a different perspective for you to consider.

[Ellie]

If it's something personal, such as a journal, then no. However, you could use misspelled words as spelling words.

 

If they're writing a letter, thank-you note, etc., to someone, then before they start you should emphasize the importance of properly spelled words (because you want the recipients to be able to understand what they're reading), and ask them to let you proofread.

 

If it's for an official assignment, then of course you should correct their spelling. Gently, you know, giving them a heads-up that you'll be proofreading. Being able to accept correction when necessary is a good personal skill to have. :-)