Struggles With Spelling Words

Is helping your child study for spelling tests one of your most UN-Favorite tasks each week? Wouldn't it be great if we were all born with a built-in spell checking system? (Tip from Stowell Learning Center).

Fortunately, we're born with some natural skills that help with spelling. One of the key ones is called Visual Memory.

For some, however, that skill doesn't fully develop in the memory system, and so a little help is needed to be able to 'see it.'

The exercise below will help anyone improve with  memorizing spelling words, and it will also begin to aid in developing a better visual memory.

 

 

Homework Problem: 
Struggles With Spelling Words   

 

Sometimes students struggle to spell words. Other times it seems as if they can spell them at home but then somehow "lose" the spelling when it comes time to take the test.

When a student has weak visual memory, remembering math facts, the exact spelling of words, what homework was assigned, or even what was just read, can lead to daily frustrations and poor grades.

Being able to spell properly affects reading and writing, so here is one method to begin training the visual memory system to see and remember what words look like.

Homework Solution: 
Learning to SEE The Words

 

DON'T worry about how many steps there are to this technique. It's actually not as overwhelming as it first looks!

For this activity, you'll need:
Lined paper, pencils, a black or dark blue dry-erase marker, and either a hand-held white board or a piece of plain white paper in a page protector.

1. Begin by folding a sheet of the lined paper in half lengthwise. This will create four separate panels, two on the back and two on the front. Now you have room to write your words four separate times, but don't write them yet.

2. You (the parent) write their first spelling word on the white board or on the sheet protector using the dry erase marker.

3. Show your child the word you've written and talk about it using questions, such as:

a.  How many letters does it have?
b.  What sounds are in the word?
c.  What sound does it start with?
d.  What sound does it end with?
e.  What letters make those sounds?
f.   How many vowels do you see?
g.  Are there any capital letters?
h.  Can you "sound spell" the word?
     (Use the letter sounds instead
     of names to spell the word.)

 

4. Have them spell the word out loud while looking at it.

5. Ask them to close their eyes, 'see' the word in their mind and spell it out loud from what they 'see.'

6. Have them open their eyes and write their spelling word on the first panel of their paper, without looking at the word.

7. Ask them if it sounds right and if it looks right.

8. Show them the word again and have them compare what they wrote to what they saw. If they spelled it correctly, move on to the second word, etc.

If they spelled it incorrectly, have them flip to a new panel (so they can't see the word they just spelled) and review steps 3-6 until they are able to spell it correctly. Having the four panels gives them an opportunity to spell the word several times until they get it right.

9. As soon as they spell it correctly, stay on the current panel and continue to the next word. (You will NOT end up with a complete list of words on any one panel.)

10. Repeat these steps for each spelling word they have to study.

Remember, this isn't just "drill." It's not repeating over and over. It's building the skills that help visual memory to get stronger. Think of it as weight lifting for spelling. It will take doing the exercise several times (over several weeks) to make that "muscle" stronger.

DON'T GIVE UP on this technique. As time goes on, the better their visual memory skills will become...and the faster they'll get at memorizing those spelling words.

My child doesn't understand their homework

Another great tip from Stowell Learning Center when your child doesn't understand their homework. 

You've got your son (or daughter) sitting down doing homework. All the distractions have been removed. He's had a snack, gone to the bathroom, and is focused on the task at hand.

BUT, he just doesn't "get it."

You explain.

He really tries. 

But he still isn't able to break through to real understanding. It doesn't matter if the assignment is reading a chapter and answering questions, memorizing spelling words, or filling in a worksheet.

When you don't get it...you just don't get it!

Below you'll find a 3-step sequence to try when, after getting organized and focused, he still doesn't "get it."

 

Three Strategies to Try When You Don't "Get It"

1. Let him teach you (or someone else) everything he knows about this assignment. Sometimes teaching it reveals clarity and answers. Explain it to a younger sibling. Teach the family dog. Explain it to a friend.
   
   Just get him thinking from the teacher's view. This shift in perspective may give him the answer he needs.
   
   
2. Explain everything he DOES know about it. OK, so he doesn't know the answer to question number two. But how much of the answer does he know?
   
   He can't spell a word...how much of it CAN he spell? Can he get the first letter, the first two letters? How far can he get?
   
   At this point, focus on what he does know, NOT what he doesn't know. Finding out what he does know may give you some real insight in getting him to what he doesn't know.
   
   
3. List what he DOESN'T know. This is sometimes very revealing. Have him tell you, SPECIFICALLY, what he doesn't know or understand.
   
   Students, in frustration, often say they don't get "any of it." But that is seldom true. It's time to get specific.
   
   Is he unclear about what the question is asking? Or is he unclear as to what the answer is? What part of the answer is missing?
   
   Does he not know that first letter of the word? What letters is he "missing" from the spelling words?
   
   Can he get the math facts for the 7's but not the 8's? Is it all the 8's or just a specific group?
   
   Make a list of what isn't known. Sometimes, the question isn't understood and this exercise will help bring that out much better than asking,"Do you understand the question?"
   
   This will help "zero in" on what pieces are missing.
   
   

Use any of the strategies whenever you find yourself at a "homework roadblock."

improve spelling test

Successful tips for improving spelling scores from Stowell Learning Center. Feel free to sign-up for email tips on their website.

For most elementary  school students, spelling tests happen every week.  Often this is a very discouraging "exercise in frustration."  

Why?

 

Because many times spelling is the clue that there are auditory processing issues.   Auditory processing skills can be trained through special programs that are far more than just "drilling" spelling words.

 

Until  those issues can be eliminated, below you'll find a technique that will help any student who has to study spelling words.  It won't fix auditory processing difficulties, but it will help to get through this week's spelling test.

Here's to having the best school year ever,

Jill Stowell
Director

 

 

Homework Tip

 

Homework Problem: 
Studying Spelling Words (Part 1)    

There are several strategies for studying spelling words.  

 

Many students have difficulty remembering spelling words.  Here is one easy, practical approach to studying for spelling words.

Homework Solution: 
Impress Spelling

 

Impress Spelling Technique -  

1. Write each of your child's spelling words on an index card in large print.
2. Have your child trace each word using a thick crayon, pressing firmly as she writes each letter.  
3. Have her put down the crayon and trace over the letters with her finger as you say them together. 
4. Have her "take a picture" in her mind of the card so that she can look up and still see the letters. 
5. Have your child trace over the visualized word, saying each letter as she traces it. 
6. Play with the word - ask: What color are the letters? What is the first letter?  What is the last? 
7. Have her spell the word from her visualized image, pointing to each letter as she says it. 
8. Move the visualized image back to the paper and write the word exactly as she remembered it.

This technique uses the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic channels to anchor the word and it's spelling.  This technique sometimes seems to parents that it will take longer.  Getting prepped may be a bit longer, but this system is very effective at getting those words "down cold" in about the same amount of time most students spend studying.

Spelling Strategies for Kids (adults too!)

Here are two strategies for helping kids be better spellers from Stowell Learning Center:

 

Spelling Strategies

 

Say and Write

Spelling often "goes out the window" when students are trying to write sentences and stories. If your child is continually asking you how to spell words, or is misspelling words you're sure he knows, try having him "say and write."

The student should say each sound as he writes it. This keeps him from guessing and being impulsive. It helps him think about all of the sounds in the word.

Visualize!

To be a good speller, you must be able to think about the sounds in the word and have a mental picture of what the word looks like.

Here is a fun strategy for visualizing how words look. Use this to practice difficult spelling words. Break the word into parts if needed and then put it back together and practice the whole word.

1. Look at the word.
2. Look up and visualize the word on a large imaginary screen slightly eye level. The letters should be large.
3. Point to each letter in the air and say the letter. Repeat 3 times to get a clear image of the letters. (Draw the letters with two fingers if needed in order to get a good image).
4. Now point to and say the letters in random order as fast as you can. (If the student can do this rapidly, he is getting a good image of the word).
5. If there are tricky letters that the student tends to miss or make mistakes on, have him make those letters especially large, bright, or colored in his image.
6. Spell the word forward again and say the word.

Making Sure Homework Is Turned In

Here are some tips from Stowell Learning Center to "Making Sure Homework Is Turned In:"

This week we'll cover the other big hindrance to getting credit for homework... making sure the homework is turned in.

This seems so obviously easy - to get completed homework turned in - but it's a VERY BIG obstacle for some students.

This is a HUGE frustration to parents who spend their evenings making sure homework is completed and correct. Not to get credit for it can be the "straw that breaks the camel's back."

 

Organization Strategy
Getting Homework Put Away and Turned-In

Students with attention challenges often experience the frustration of working very hard to complete their homework, and then losing it or forgetting to turn it in. Good intentions and reminders from others are not generally enough to solve this problem.

Each student needs to have a PLAN for putting homework away and getting it turned in, and it must be practiced and monitored until it becomes a habit.

The strategy below for putting homework away and getting it turned in can be applied to any number of areas where a new habit needs to be created.

Strategy

• Both you and your child should determine EXACTLY what should be done with homework when it is completed.

• When your child finishes an assignment, ask, "What do you need to do with your completed homework?"
• Your student should talk through the process out loud saying, "I've finished my math homework so I put it in the math section of the folder." Once this is a stable procedure, have him mentally talk himself through the process.
• Discuss how homework is collected in each class. Have your student visualize, and then, out loud, talk through the process of turning in his homework in each class. Have him mentally hear the teacher asking for the homework at the beginning of class, visualize himself putting the homework in the designated homework box, etc.
  
  Example: (Verbalize to parent while visualizing) "I'm walking into math class. I go to my desk, which is in the third row and I sit down and put my backpack down next to me on my left side.
  
  "I'm opening my backpack and taking out my folder. I go to the math section and take out my math homework. I put the math homework on the right front corner of my desk.
  
  "When the teacher starts to talk, I look right at her and hear her saying to pass our papers to the person on our left. I see myself picking up my math homework and handing it to Sam who sits next to me."

Starting with one or two classes, have him visualize and verbalize turning in his homework in detail just before going to bed at night and before going to school in the morning.

This should be done every day until the he is successfully and consistently turning in his homework in the given classes. Then he can begin to visualize and mentally (instead of orally) rehearse the process and can add on more classes when ready.

Despite how simple it seems to turn in your homework, the above process will make it automatic. 

Keeping School supplies Organized Throughout the Year

Have your homework supplies been depleted through the school year? Read on to learn some tips from Stowell Learning Center. Sign-up to receive homework tips through email on their website.

Does every afternoon seem like a treasure hunt?

Are you forever looking for sharpened pencils, lined paper, rulers, calculators, dictionaries, colored pencils, etc.?

 

We know that homework can be a stressful time without having to play "Hide & Seek" every day!

This is the time of year to replenish all your school / homework supplies so that homework time will be less stressful.

 

So below is a way to make sure these daily last-minute searches are over.

To better homework experiences at your house,

 

 

Homework Tip

 

Homework Problem:

Missing Homework Supplies

It's hard enough for struggling students to start their daily homework.

But when you finally get them seated, get them focused, and get their assignments out of the backpack and ready to begin,

You discover that you're missing some vital supply item needed to complete that day's assignment.

It's like starting all over again. Go get the item, get the kid seated again, get the attention focused.

How many times has this happened?

Not having ALL the proper supplies is just another frustrating delay in getting homework started. DON'T let this contribute to the struggles. 

 

Homework Solution:

Found Them!

 

Here is a 3-step process to fix this problem forever.

Step 1 - Make a chart of all supply items you might ever need for assignments

Below you'll find a list of items. Copy and paste it into a new document. Add any additional items you can think of. Once you've got the list, space out the items onto one sheet, print it and then take it to be laminated.

Step 2 - Buy a bin, case, or other container to keep all the items in.

A quick visit to your local craft or office supply store will provide you with a container that will easily hold all of the supplies your learner needs to more easily do their homework. Easy places to load up on supplies are Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, Target, Kmart or Walmart.

Now go buy all of these items and put them into your container. Oh, make SURE you buy a dry erase marker. We'll use it in step 3.

Because students learn in different environments, this supply box can be transported from site to site as the students' needs dictate.

Step 3 - Each week, grab your laminated list and take inventory.

Use the dry erase marker to circle or check any item that you need to replenish. Then pick up the items before you completely run out.

There is nothing as frustrating as just wanting to get the homework done, but a simple supply item isn't available. Save yourself the grief and take care of this "pest" once and for all!

Here is a list of supplies to get you started.  Add any others you can think of and then put your laminated list with your supplies.  You'll be REALLY glad you took the time to do this!

___ 8.5 x 11" lined paper
___ markers
___ crayons
___ highlighters
___ colored pencils
___ sharpened pencils
___ pencil sharpener
___ dry erase marker
___ dictionary
___ thesaurus
___ atlas
___ construction paper
___ index cards
___ blank paper
___ self-stick notes
___ hole punch
___ scissors
___ stapler/staples
___ a calculator
___ ruler
___ tape
___ an eraser
___ white out

How to complete those end-of-chapter questions?

How do you complete those end-of-chapter questions? Here are some ideas from Stowell Learning Center:

One of the more "tortuous" kinds of homework is to read a worksheet or a chapter and then answer questions about what was read.

Why can this be so difficult? Because it involves so many of those underlying skills that cause students to struggle. It takes just one weak or missing skill to make life, and school more difficult than it should be.  

Below you'll find a strategy to help your student remember what was read so that they can answer questions. It's really quite fun and will  help in improving memory.

 

Conquering Those End-of the-Chapter Questions

A Student Study Tip for Remembering What You Read

A common complaint of students is that they cannot remember what they read when they get to the end of a chapter. Answering those end-of-the-chapter questions (or worksheet questions) can be a real chore when students do not have good strategies for holding onto the information as they read, or for going back and finding it later.

Many students think that they just have to reread the chapter from the beginning over and over to locate the information.

In order to understand and remember what is read or heard, individuals must be able to visualize or make pictures in their mind, letting those pictures run like a movie. Three simple steps can be used to help students visualize, understand, and remember the information more easily. These are:

• Picture
• Replay
• Retell
  

When your child is reading or listening, have him try to picture what is being said, to "make a movie" in his head. Then have him "replay the movie." Replaying helps set the information into memory.

Have your child picture the information again, retelling it to you in detail as he sees it. Do this first with stories and oral directions. Then try it with content material such as Social Studies or Science.

When your child has questions to answer, have him rewind his "mental movie" to the section where the information can be found. Have him think, "Did I see that at the beginning, the middle, or at the end?" If he can't remember, have him think, "What did I see at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end? Where does this question seem to fit?"

Once he has located a logical starting point, he can then go back and check in the book without doing a lot of unnecessary rereading.

Some tips for improving organization and communication with students, teachers, and parents

Here are some tips for improving organization and communication with students, teachers, and parents. Sign-up for homework tips from Stowell Learning Center.

 Homework Problem: 
Missing Materials

 

It happens far too often.  Math book, spelling words, science notebook, reading folder, vocabulary worksheet; at least one of these necessary things fail to make it home after school with your child so that homework can be completed.

 

It can be soooooooo frustrating!  You sit down to help with homework only to find the book, the paper, the chart, or some other vitally key element is not even there...it's still at school.  Grrrrrrrr!

 

And then the scrambling starts.  Do we race back to school on the chance that the teacher is still in her classroom?  Do we call a friend?  Or should I just send my child to school tomorrow knowing that he'll get another incomplete homework assignment?

 

Homework Solution:

Binder Reminder

 

Most teachers are more than happy to help with this solution as long as you make it easy for them.

 

Here's what to do:  Make a list of any and all of the materials your child may need to take home from school and write them on an index card.  Next, laminate the card or wrap it in clear packing tape.  Then, ask your child's teacher to attach the card to the upper corner of your child's desk and help to implement a simple routine.

 

When homework is assigned throughout the day, ask the teacher to use a dry erase marker to circle the item your child will need for that assignment.  When it is time to pack up at the end of the day, your child should erase the circles for each item ONLY after he places it in his backpack.

 

This will not only help your child to develop independence, but save you from any more after school scavenger hunts!

 

Make SURE you reward the teacher with a personal thank you note (an email does NOT count!).

 

*Note: I had a co-worker say this would only work for elementary. I disagree. Make 6 different sections (1 for each class) on one sheet of paper in a sheet protector or on the front cover of the binder that the teacher can easily mark and is easy for the parent to read as well. Most teachers are open to communicating this way as long as the student remembers to come up to the teacher at the beginning or end of class.