Re: Spelling
Jeanmarie Shingleton
Daron and others...
This may have already been suggested, but I don't get much 'puter time over the
weekends so I have something like 14 digests still waiting to be read, but I
didn't want my thoughts to get away from me.
How about reminding your budding authors that most/if not all authors have
proof-readers that go over the writing after it's all done and check for those
little errors that sometimes get missed. The first thing they (our little
writers) need to do is get those ideas on paper!!! Then if the spelling
bothers them they can go back over what they wrote and maybe make little marks
next to the words they feel are mis-spelled.
Then I see at least two, maybe three, options... type just those words in a
word processing program and see what corrections it comes up with, use a small
dictionary to look up the words of concern, or use one of the previously
mentioned spell-checkers to fix just the words of concern. Then if they are
still worried maybe they can "hire" mom, dad or an older sibling to be their
proof-reader - just for spelling. In most dictionaries there is a page with
proof-reader marks and what they mean... the "employee" could then use these to
make spelling suggestions...
When my older kids (now graduated from high school and college) were in 2nd
grade ps they encouraged "creative writing". As a professional secretary that
spells everything right - at that time it drove me nuts... nothing was spelled
right!!! But as I relaxed... and my perfect spelling daughter relaxed ... I
discovered that the kids really did learn how to write more creatively when
they weren't worrying about the spelling when they were writing... the grammar
checking and spelling checking came later. And they had friends help them with
that...
Just sharing some ps experience that may help in this situation. Now I have a
14 yo unschooler who never lets me see his writing, but he does it all the
time... and uses the dictionary like crazy...
Hope these suggestions help.
Jeanmarie
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Get your free E-Mail and Homepage
Go to http://www.networld.com
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This may have already been suggested, but I don't get much 'puter time over the
weekends so I have something like 14 digests still waiting to be read, but I
didn't want my thoughts to get away from me.
How about reminding your budding authors that most/if not all authors have
proof-readers that go over the writing after it's all done and check for those
little errors that sometimes get missed. The first thing they (our little
writers) need to do is get those ideas on paper!!! Then if the spelling
bothers them they can go back over what they wrote and maybe make little marks
next to the words they feel are mis-spelled.
Then I see at least two, maybe three, options... type just those words in a
word processing program and see what corrections it comes up with, use a small
dictionary to look up the words of concern, or use one of the previously
mentioned spell-checkers to fix just the words of concern. Then if they are
still worried maybe they can "hire" mom, dad or an older sibling to be their
proof-reader - just for spelling. In most dictionaries there is a page with
proof-reader marks and what they mean... the "employee" could then use these to
make spelling suggestions...
When my older kids (now graduated from high school and college) were in 2nd
grade ps they encouraged "creative writing". As a professional secretary that
spells everything right - at that time it drove me nuts... nothing was spelled
right!!! But as I relaxed... and my perfect spelling daughter relaxed ... I
discovered that the kids really did learn how to write more creatively when
they weren't worrying about the spelling when they were writing... the grammar
checking and spelling checking came later. And they had friends help them with
that...
Just sharing some ps experience that may help in this situation. Now I have a
14 yo unschooler who never lets me see his writing, but he does it all the
time... and uses the dictionary like crazy...
Hope these suggestions help.
Jeanmarie
*********************************
Get your free E-Mail and Homepage
Go to http://www.networld.com
*********************************
[email protected]
On Mon, 10 Sep 2001 11:06:15 -0600 "Jeanmarie Shingleton"
<Jmarieqlts@...> writes:
editors whenever I have to send in a piece for publication. :-) She
rarely wants to take the trouble to recopy stuff, so we haven't done it
much.
I guess one thing that this thread has helped me to clarify in my own
mind is that the problem really has nothing to do with spelling - I know
she'll do that competently in her own time, and I'm not worried about it.
The issue for me is more that she's not doing something she enjoyed
because someone gave her a hard time about not being good at a (small)
part of it. This could just as easily have been her not wanting to play
softball anymore (which she really started playing last summmer in a
parks and rec league, and loves, and she's a really powerful hitter)
because some kid made a hurtful comment about the weakness of her
throwing arm.
So maybe I've done enough, and as she slowly has more good experiences
around writing maybe she'll stop prefacing introductions to read her work
with "The spelling is horrible but I don't care." Maybe she needs to come
to terms with this one on her own :-/
Daron
<Jmarieqlts@...> writes:
> How about reminding your budding authors that most/if not all authorshave
> proof-readers that go over the writing after it's all done and checkfor those
> little errors that sometimes get missed. The first thing they (ourlittle
> writers) need to do is get those ideas on paper!!!Thanks. I have offered, and she's heard myepraise proofreaders and
editors whenever I have to send in a piece for publication. :-) She
rarely wants to take the trouble to recopy stuff, so we haven't done it
much.
I guess one thing that this thread has helped me to clarify in my own
mind is that the problem really has nothing to do with spelling - I know
she'll do that competently in her own time, and I'm not worried about it.
The issue for me is more that she's not doing something she enjoyed
because someone gave her a hard time about not being good at a (small)
part of it. This could just as easily have been her not wanting to play
softball anymore (which she really started playing last summmer in a
parks and rec league, and loves, and she's a really powerful hitter)
because some kid made a hurtful comment about the weakness of her
throwing arm.
So maybe I've done enough, and as she slowly has more good experiences
around writing maybe she'll stop prefacing introductions to read her work
with "The spelling is horrible but I don't care." Maybe she needs to come
to terms with this one on her own :-/
Daron
Bridget E Coffman
Ode to the Spell Checker!"
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Mon, 26 Nov 2001 18:20:24 -0600 groundhoggirl
<groundhoggirl@...> writes:
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it
goes on.
- Robert Frost
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Mon, 26 Nov 2001 18:20:24 -0600 groundhoggirl
<groundhoggirl@...> writes:
> Most of us have spell-check (or whatever it's called) on our^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> computers,
> don't we?
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it
goes on.
- Robert Frost
Sarah Carothers
lol... now *that* writing looks like my child#2's attempts at written communication! yikes...
Which is why I'm convinced that, much as we'd like to hope, spell checkers and calculators can't do it all. There are some basic skills that are helpful in knowing (spelling, adding & subtracting) to name a few. My oldest was 'taught' these things by me. My youngest has not been. Which child is doing better overall (emotionally, academically)... the one taught the very basics.
And I say this with sadness because I consider myself a rabid supporter of unschooling and follower of John Holt. I wonder if we're missing the boat sometimes by taking his words to the extreme. I wonder if that's what he really meant.
I don't know.....
Sarah
Sarah
Which is why I'm convinced that, much as we'd like to hope, spell checkers and calculators can't do it all. There are some basic skills that are helpful in knowing (spelling, adding & subtracting) to name a few. My oldest was 'taught' these things by me. My youngest has not been. Which child is doing better overall (emotionally, academically)... the one taught the very basics.
And I say this with sadness because I consider myself a rabid supporter of unschooling and follower of John Holt. I wonder if we're missing the boat sometimes by taking his words to the extreme. I wonder if that's what he really meant.
I don't know.....
Sarah
Sarah
----- Original Message -----
From: Bridget E Coffman
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom]Spelling
Ode to the Spell Checker!"
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Mon, 26 Nov 2001 18:20:24 -0600 groundhoggirl
<groundhoggirl@...> writes:
> Most of us have spell-check (or whatever it's called) on our
> computers,
> don't we?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tia Leschke
At 01:14 PM 27/11/01 -0500, you wrote:
them even if you taught her, at least at that particular time. Kids are so
different, even in the same family.
they ask us to. And this from the mother of the 14 year old who spells
called, cold. (Hey, it's phonetic!) I still shakily keep the faith
because people with even older kids tell me how their kids suddenly
*wanted* to learn to spell better. Then they either started paying enough
attention that they started spelling better, or were willing to do whatever
grunt work was necessary so they could.
Tia
Tia Leschke leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
********************************************************************************************
It is the answers which separate us, the questions which unite us. - Janice
Levy
>lol... now *that* writing looks like my child#2's attempts at writtenOr possibly the one you didn't teach the basics would have had trouble with
>communication! yikes...
>Which is why I'm convinced that, much as we'd like to hope, spell checkers
>and calculators can't do it all. There are some basic skills that are
>helpful in knowing (spelling, adding & subtracting) to name a few. My
>oldest was 'taught' these things by me. My youngest has not been. Which
>child is doing better overall (emotionally, academically)... the one
>taught the very basics.
them even if you taught her, at least at that particular time. Kids are so
different, even in the same family.
>And I say this with sadness because I consider myself a rabid supporter ofI think he really meant that we shouldn't teach our kids anything unless
>unschooling and follower of John Holt. I wonder if we're missing the boat
>sometimes by taking his words to the extreme. I wonder if that's what he
>really meant.
they ask us to. And this from the mother of the 14 year old who spells
called, cold. (Hey, it's phonetic!) I still shakily keep the faith
because people with even older kids tell me how their kids suddenly
*wanted* to learn to spell better. Then they either started paying enough
attention that they started spelling better, or were willing to do whatever
grunt work was necessary so they could.
Tia
Tia Leschke leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
********************************************************************************************
It is the answers which separate us, the questions which unite us. - Janice
Levy
Sarah Carothers
Tia wrote:
<Or possibly the one you didn't teach the basics would have had trouble with
them even if you taught her, at least at that particular time. Kids are so
different, even in the same family.
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
<Or possibly the one you didn't teach the basics would have had trouble with
them even if you taught her, at least at that particular time. Kids are so
different, even in the same family.
>>>>>Absolutely! And probably exactly the case with this child.
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tia Leschke
> Me too. Although sometimes the word is so misspelled theAnd a lot of the words my son writes are spelled correctly . . . *if* he
> computer can't even guess what it might be :-)
meant a different word. (rite/write, sum/some, etc.)
Tia
REBECCA
How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is really
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade.
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade.
April M
Email and Instant Messaging?
That's been my kids best reason for learning to spell.
Or do any writing on the computer in a word doc and use spell check...that's
what I do!
I've become a much better speller since home computers came out....all of my
schooling couldn't do that!!
I was a terrible speller in school. Actually, I probably still am...it's
just I can hide it now!! ;)
~April
Mom to Kate-18, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-9.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art! http://www.artkunst23.com
*Michigan Youth Theater...Acting On Our Dreams...
http://www.michiganyouththeater.org/
"Know where to find the information and how to use it - That's the secret of
success."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of REBECCA
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 11:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Spelling
How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is really
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade.
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
That's been my kids best reason for learning to spell.
Or do any writing on the computer in a word doc and use spell check...that's
what I do!
I've become a much better speller since home computers came out....all of my
schooling couldn't do that!!
I was a terrible speller in school. Actually, I probably still am...it's
just I can hide it now!! ;)
~April
Mom to Kate-18, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-9.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art! http://www.artkunst23.com
*Michigan Youth Theater...Acting On Our Dreams...
http://www.michiganyouththeater.org/
"Know where to find the information and how to use it - That's the secret of
success."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of REBECCA
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 11:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Spelling
How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is really
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade.
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Yahoo! Groups Links
a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
April M
Ah Yes, I had forgotten about that. My sons both love Runescape. Runescape
has that chatting feature and they have it set up that some words are
blocked so spelling correctly is important. My 9 year old asked how to spell
'come' because his way kept getting blocked. He was spelling it 'cum', quite
logical but it wasn't getting through the filters. He now knows how to spell
'come' and many other words....and his typing is amazing...I didn't notice
that until a few weeks ago. He also have an email address and I've shown
him how to use the spell check feature....because I am so much less worried
about what and when my youngest learns things...I find he suddenly has
knowledge or abilities I didn't know he had.
~April
Mom to Kate-18, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-9.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art! http://www.artkunst23.com
*Michigan Youth Theater...Acting On Our Dreams...
http://www.michiganyouththeater.org/
"Know where to find the information and how to use it - That's the secret of
success."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of queenjane555
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 12:27 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Re: Spelling
--- In [email protected], "REBECCA"
<shdhavknown@y...> wrote:
He's been typing (and therefore having to spell)words more than ever
before. He basically types words phonetically, or uses
shorthand/abbreviations. His online friends seem to understand him
even when he butchers the words. Sometimes, he will ask me "how do
you
spell...." and i tell him how. If i'm standing over his shoulder and
notice that he is really spelling a word incorrectly, i might tell
him
how its really spelled, and other times i might not. I really believe
that the more he uses the words, the more he sees the words in print
in the game, the better his spelling will get. It happened with
reading, so why not spelling?
What are the circumstances in which she is "needing" to spell things
the right way? Is she writing stories? Leaving notes for people? If
she really wants you to, you can "proofread" her stuff for her, and
write down the correct spelling, or you can teach her to use spell-
check if she's using the computer. But really, i think she just needs
to develop, and give it time. Maybe reassuring her of that is the
best
way to go.
Katherine
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Yahoo! Groups Links
a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
has that chatting feature and they have it set up that some words are
blocked so spelling correctly is important. My 9 year old asked how to spell
'come' because his way kept getting blocked. He was spelling it 'cum', quite
logical but it wasn't getting through the filters. He now knows how to spell
'come' and many other words....and his typing is amazing...I didn't notice
that until a few weeks ago. He also have an email address and I've shown
him how to use the spell check feature....because I am so much less worried
about what and when my youngest learns things...I find he suddenly has
knowledge or abilities I didn't know he had.
~April
Mom to Kate-18, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-9.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art! http://www.artkunst23.com
*Michigan Youth Theater...Acting On Our Dreams...
http://www.michiganyouththeater.org/
"Know where to find the information and how to use it - That's the secret of
success."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of queenjane555
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 12:27 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Re: Spelling
--- In [email protected], "REBECCA"
<shdhavknown@y...> wrote:
> How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is reallyin
> struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is
> 4th grade.My son plays an online role-playing game which has a "chat" feature.
He's been typing (and therefore having to spell)words more than ever
before. He basically types words phonetically, or uses
shorthand/abbreviations. His online friends seem to understand him
even when he butchers the words. Sometimes, he will ask me "how do
you
spell...." and i tell him how. If i'm standing over his shoulder and
notice that he is really spelling a word incorrectly, i might tell
him
how its really spelled, and other times i might not. I really believe
that the more he uses the words, the more he sees the words in print
in the game, the better his spelling will get. It happened with
reading, so why not spelling?
What are the circumstances in which she is "needing" to spell things
the right way? Is she writing stories? Leaving notes for people? If
she really wants you to, you can "proofread" her stuff for her, and
write down the correct spelling, or you can teach her to use spell-
check if she's using the computer. But really, i think she just needs
to develop, and give it time. Maybe reassuring her of that is the
best
way to go.
Katherine
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Yahoo! Groups Links
a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
queenjane555
--- In [email protected], "REBECCA"
<shdhavknown@y...> wrote:
He's been typing (and therefore having to spell)words more than ever
before. He basically types words phonetically, or uses
shorthand/abbreviations. His online friends seem to understand him
even when he butchers the words. Sometimes, he will ask me "how do
you
spell...." and i tell him how. If i'm standing over his shoulder and
notice that he is really spelling a word incorrectly, i might tell
him
how its really spelled, and other times i might not. I really believe
that the more he uses the words, the more he sees the words in print
in the game, the better his spelling will get. It happened with
reading, so why not spelling?
What are the circumstances in which she is "needing" to spell things
the right way? Is she writing stories? Leaving notes for people? If
she really wants you to, you can "proofread" her stuff for her, and
write down the correct spelling, or you can teach her to use spell-
check if she's using the computer. But really, i think she just needs
to develop, and give it time. Maybe reassuring her of that is the
best
way to go.
Katherine
<shdhavknown@y...> wrote:
> How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is reallyin
> struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is
> 4th grade.My son plays an online role-playing game which has a "chat" feature.
He's been typing (and therefore having to spell)words more than ever
before. He basically types words phonetically, or uses
shorthand/abbreviations. His online friends seem to understand him
even when he butchers the words. Sometimes, he will ask me "how do
you
spell...." and i tell him how. If i'm standing over his shoulder and
notice that he is really spelling a word incorrectly, i might tell
him
how its really spelled, and other times i might not. I really believe
that the more he uses the words, the more he sees the words in print
in the game, the better his spelling will get. It happened with
reading, so why not spelling?
What are the circumstances in which she is "needing" to spell things
the right way? Is she writing stories? Leaving notes for people? If
she really wants you to, you can "proofread" her stuff for her, and
write down the correct spelling, or you can teach her to use spell-
check if she's using the computer. But really, i think she just needs
to develop, and give it time. Maybe reassuring her of that is the
best
way to go.
Katherine
Angela S.
My kids have just gotten better at spelling on their own without my teaching
them anything. The thing that helped my youngest the most was giving her
her own email account. But both girls (8 and 10) have improved in spelling
on their own by asking repeatedly how things are spelled. If they ask often
enough, they remember.
Angela
game-enthusiast@...
them anything. The thing that helped my youngest the most was giving her
her own email account. But both girls (8 and 10) have improved in spelling
on their own by asking repeatedly how things are spelled. If they ask often
enough, they remember.
Angela
game-enthusiast@...
[email protected]
My husband went to public school and some college, and got a trades-school
certificate (mathish stuff, mostly), and when I met him he spelled way worse
than ANY of my kids do now (at 13, 16, 18) who've not studied spelling.
Spelling lessons made things worse for him. And spelling lessons made him
stop even trying. We made a deal when we were in our early 20's (long before
having children) that he could ask me to spell a word and I would never shame
him or say "I just told you" or anything but just spell it, and in exchange, I
could ask him any math "fact" and he would just tell me, no questions no "you
can figure that out" or "you should know that."
Over the years he got way better at spelling. I got a little better at math.
He still misspells a word sometimes. He wants "coming" to have two m's.
Sandra
certificate (mathish stuff, mostly), and when I met him he spelled way worse
than ANY of my kids do now (at 13, 16, 18) who've not studied spelling.
Spelling lessons made things worse for him. And spelling lessons made him
stop even trying. We made a deal when we were in our early 20's (long before
having children) that he could ask me to spell a word and I would never shame
him or say "I just told you" or anything but just spell it, and in exchange, I
could ask him any math "fact" and he would just tell me, no questions no "you
can figure that out" or "you should know that."
Over the years he got way better at spelling. I got a little better at math.
He still misspells a word sometimes. He wants "coming" to have two m's.
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/13/05 9:59:55 AM, shdhavknown@... writes:
<< How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is really
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade. >>
I don't teach anything while unschooling. If I taught things, I wouldn't
feel I was unschooling at all. I do answer lots of questions. My kids know
stories about the history of English, and WHY words are spelled as they are in
some cases. Knowing there are stories behind spellings and knowing there are
patterns helps, but I didn't tell them those stories to teach them spelling, I
told them because it was part of answering a question and it was interesting.
E-mail and instant messages and online text-based games helped my kids with
spelling more than anything else. More than everything else put together so
far.
If she's in 4th grade...
Are you not an unschooler?
If you think of her as being in 4th grade instead of thinking of her as being
nine or ten years old, I'm guessing you're thinking she should know 4th grade
spelling words. In the real world, in the absence of school, there is no
such thing as a 4th grade spelling word.
Sandra
<< How do you teach spelling while unschooling? My daughter is really
struggling and it is frustrating for her. Any suggestions? She is in
4th grade. >>
I don't teach anything while unschooling. If I taught things, I wouldn't
feel I was unschooling at all. I do answer lots of questions. My kids know
stories about the history of English, and WHY words are spelled as they are in
some cases. Knowing there are stories behind spellings and knowing there are
patterns helps, but I didn't tell them those stories to teach them spelling, I
told them because it was part of answering a question and it was interesting.
E-mail and instant messages and online text-based games helped my kids with
spelling more than anything else. More than everything else put together so
far.
If she's in 4th grade...
Are you not an unschooler?
If you think of her as being in 4th grade instead of thinking of her as being
nine or ten years old, I'm guessing you're thinking she should know 4th grade
spelling words. In the real world, in the absence of school, there is no
such thing as a 4th grade spelling word.
Sandra