{"id":663,"date":"2014-12-02T20:31:06","date_gmt":"2014-12-03T03:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/?page_id=663"},"modified":"2015-07-07T10:18:18","modified_gmt":"2015-07-07T16:18:18","slug":"spelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/spelling\/","title":{"rendered":""I" Before "E", But Not After "C""},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The

The word “separate” has “a rat” in it. Remember this spelling tip and you’ll always spell it correctly!<\/p><\/div>\n

I am a product of the public schools of the 1960’s. I was taught the spelling ditty: “i” before “e” but not after “c”, and a host of other rules. Spelling rules seem to be made for the logical, perhaps, mathematical minds (not mine), but I am a good speller. How does that work?<\/p>\n

I have used many a spelling book and program with my kids over the years, and I am convinced that Ruth Beechick, skilled teacher and curriculum developer, knew what she was talking about. Ruth Beechick did not like spelling workbooks, and taught that spelling out of the context of one’s writing is seldom remembered and can be an exercise in futility. After homeschooling for 20 years, I have to agree.<\/p>\n

So, how do<\/em> you teach kids to spell?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get them to write. Let them write about their interests\u2014those are the words they need to know how to spell anyway, as they will be using those words often. As you correct their writing, help them correct their misspelled words and transfer them to a spelling list. Every day, have them write those words 3 times. On Friday, test them on their words. Whatever is missed goes onto next week’s spelling list, until it is mastered. Every Friday, when you give a spelling test, go back and pull words randomly from previously mastered spelling lists to keep them fresh in your child’s memory.<\/p>\n

Do whatever you can to help them make sense of the spelling of the word<\/strong> when they first transfer it from their writing to their spelling list. If you can simplify a rule to the point that a child remembers it, go ahead.<\/p>\n

More often, though, I find myself drawing a little memory clue<\/strong> next to the word, or underlining some of the letters to solidify a crazy spelling. Find a reason to remember a difficult spelling sequence. For example, I point out to my children that the commonly misspelled word, “friend”, is easy to remember if you know that a “friend<\/em> is with you to the end<\/em>“. Once a child can see the word “end” in “friend<\/em><\/strong>“, it is easy to spell it correctly.<\/p>\n

Look for that pesky creature, “a rat”, when you spell “separat<\/em>e”. There is “a rat” in “sep a rat<\/strong><\/em> e”! Once you can see\u00a0it, you’ll never spell it wrong again!<\/p>\n

Children often struggle with the correct spelling of the words”their” and “there”. How does one remember? Look at the word “there”. “There” is a place, a location. You are either “here” or “there”. The word “here” is part of the word “there<\/em><\/strong>“. Have children search for the word “here”. If they see it in the word “there<\/em>“, they are talking about a place.<\/p>\n

Which “hear” hears? “Here” or “hear”? You “hear” with the word that has an “ear” it it: hear<\/em><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

If you all want to be “together”, then you better go “to get her<\/em>“. \u00a0Just combine\u00a0the words “to”, “get”, “her” and you have the correct spelling!<\/p>\n

For very logical types, a spelling rule might hold some weight. But for the majority of children, I have found memory clues to be very powerful in teaching spelling!<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May I recommend:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\"\"
\nNatural Speller versus Has-to-be-Taught
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"IMG_6036-150x150\"
\nSpelling Clues
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"1788\"
\nTeach Any Child to Spell
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am a product of the public schools of the 1960’s. I was taught the spelling ditty: “i” before “e” but not after “c”, and a host of other rules. Spelling rules seem to be made for the logical, perhaps, mathematical minds (not mine), but I am a good speller. How does that work? I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[159,9],"tags":[107],"class_list":["post-663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spelling-what-articles","category-what-articles","tag-spelling","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/rat-440987_1280.jpg?fit=1280%2C853&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6IrRN-spelling","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2056,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/natural-speller\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":0},"title":"Natural Speller versus Has-to-Be-Taught","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"My children: Ammon, Julianna and Mark Will the \u201cnatural speller\u201d please stand up? Having homeschooled 7 children, I eventually figured out that either kids come as \u201cnatural spellers\u201d or they don\u2019t. And if they don\u2019t, you have to teach them to spell. The natural speller can\u00a0see\u00a0the word in their head.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "English: Spelling"","block_context":{"text":"English: Spelling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/english-spelling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ammon's journal","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/1775-239x300.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":695,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/spelling-those-tricky-words\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":1},"title":"Spelling Those Tricky Words","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Spelling correctly is just as important as doing your hair! How's that? Well, it makes quite a first impression, whether on a job application or in a love letter. Spelling is not something that we stop learning the day we graduate from high school, or college even. I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "English: Spelling"","block_context":{"text":"English: Spelling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/english-spelling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_Louisa_Ammon_Emily.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_Louisa_Ammon_Emily.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_Louisa_Ammon_Emily.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":677,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/spelling-clues\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":2},"title":"Spelling Clues","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 English is a beautiful language! It is the language of the Kings James Version of the Bible. It is the language of Shakespeare. Then, why\u2014oh, why can't we spell? Over the years of teaching my 7 children to write, I wonder if perhaps I have seen nearly every misspelling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spelling"","block_context":{"text":"Spelling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/spelling-what-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/IMG_6036.jpg?fit=854%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/IMG_6036.jpg?fit=854%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/IMG_6036.jpg?fit=854%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/IMG_6036.jpg?fit=854%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1099,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/kids-cant-spell\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":3},"title":"Kids Can’t Spell?","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"It is an all-too-common problem. Kids can\u2019t spell, teenagers can\u2019t spell, even many adults can\u2019t spell. Thank goodness for spell-check on the computer. It has helped the problem enormously! Learning to write is pretty important, as we use if daily in our communication.\u00a0Nothing blows \"lookin' smart\" faster than misspelling a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "English: Spelling"","block_context":{"text":"English: Spelling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/english-spelling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ammonsbeet","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ammonsbeet-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":559,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/tricky-english\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":4},"title":"Quirky English","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"No wonder English is so difficult to learn! \u00a0 We must polish the Polish furniture. He could lead if he would get the lead out. The farm used to produce produce. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. The soldier decided to desert in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spelling"","block_context":{"text":"Spelling","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/spelling-what-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_goldmine.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_goldmine.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kids_goldmine.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1206,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/remembering-phonics\/","url_meta":{"origin":663,"position":5},"title":"Remembering Phonics","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My 7 year old loves to read, but now that I am teaching my 5 year old to read I can see how the 7 year old struggles with reading. I taught him to read using phonics but I notice him guessing at words a lot and so I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reading"","block_context":{"text":"Reading","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/what-articles\/reading-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/learning-164331_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/learning-164331_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/learning-164331_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/learning-164331_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/learning-164331_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=663"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7412,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663\/revisions\/7412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}