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**I think that if they see that sometimes I
don't know and that I use the dictionary, encyclopedia, Google, someone else
who
knows better than I, then they eventually will too. I have always responded
that IF he doesn't know how to spell something or what a word means that I
tell
him, I don't say *look it up yourself.* I say that the kids need to be
afforded the same respect. He says the kids are different, that the need to
LEARN
how to do these things themselves. I think that they will learn by observing
me.**

My kids all know how to use references. They know how to use dictionaries,
encyclopedias, computer databases (the older two know how to use card catalogs,
a skill that's already obsolete!), indexes... and how to ask people for help
and information, as well. When they wanted to know how to use things, I showed
them. I never ever answered a request for information with "go look it up" - I
wouldn't say it to a friend and I think it's rude to say it to a child asking
for help or information. It hasn't made my children dependent on me for
information. Children WANT to be able to use the tools they see used by the adults
around them. They want to be competent in their world, and will actively
strive toward that goal if we aren't constantly getting in their way and pushing at
them.

There is a paperback dictionary sitting on the loveseat across the room.
Sarah left it there - she's been writing a letter to a new friend in another state
and she wants everything to be spelled correctly. She's asked me how to spell
a few things but mostly she seems to be looking a lot of things up in the
dictionary. This is a new behaviour for her. I'm not sure where the dictionary
came from, it's not familiar to me. Maybe it's the one my sister and I bought at
Walmart last fall to settle disagreements over a word game we were playing
while sitting with our dying father. If it is that one I hope she's finding it a
more useful tool than we did, we were both wishing we'd brought our own.

Anyway, I never told her to go use a dictionary, and yet, there she is.

Deborah in IL


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Lee-Ann and Robert Storer

Hi all,

Now for a Megan (7) story LOL

Megan has been playing The Sims on one of our pcs. Every five minutes (well maybe about 6 or 7 times in a couple of hours <g>) she'd ask me how do you spell object. I'd spell it and she'd type it out.

In my head I was having a little conversation with myself "sheesh, I'm getting sick of this - no you're not Lee-Ann, be happy that she feels comfortable asking you - yeah, but I can't even string two thoughts together for myself - come on, look at her, she's loving what she's doing don't spoil it". I'm pleased to report that Smeagol one out over Gollum that time LOL I answered her cheerfully, every time. The next day Megan was playing the Sims again......."mum how do you spell obj....no it's okay I can do that myself now.......mum how do you spell world?" lmao

When we did school at home I tried getting her to write the letter, make the sound, say the word (instructions in a phonics work book that we had), she hated it. Well she sure can handle it nicely now and neither of us even realised she was doing that. Listen to me spell, repeat the letters in her head and find them on the keyboard! Same thing as the book but way more fun and something that she really really wanted to know. Coool

Now I love unphonics too.

Lee-Ann in Australia
whose family pet count went up by two puppies today.



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