{"id":5938,"date":"2022-01-17T09:00:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T15:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.allaboutlearningpress.com\/?p=5938"},"modified":"2022-07-07T09:55:12","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T14:55:12","slug":"aas-right-time-to-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.allaboutlearningpress.com\/aas-right-time-to-start\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right Time to Start Spelling Instruction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Children have such a diversity of needs\u2014especially when it comes to spelling. If you are wondering when is the best time to start teaching spelling to your child, this post is for you! And since there are no \u201cone size fits all\u201d answers to this question, we\u2019ll explore a wide variety of situations. Let\u2019s dig in!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"boy\r\n\r\n

Is Your Student Ready for Spelling Lessons?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

Before we talk spelling, let\u2019s look at reading for a moment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Can your child easily read these words?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"Level\r\n\r\n

If those words were easy for your child to read, he\u2019s ready to start spelling instruction. All About Spelling<\/cite> Level 1<\/a> is the perfect place to start.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

If your child can\u2019t<\/span> read those words, hold off on spelling lessons until he can read at this basic level. For most kids, spelling comes much more easily after they know how to read. (We\u2019ll discuss a possible exception later in this post.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n

4 Reasons to Delay Spelling Instruction Until Your Child Has Begun to Read<\/h2>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n

  1. While learning to read, students pick up basic skills that will enable them to spell more easily.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

    For example, in All About Reading<\/cite> Level 1<\/a> a number of important reading skills are thoroughly and systematically taught. Students learn the sounds of the phonograms<\/a> and learn how to blend these sounds into words<\/a>. They gain phonemic awareness skills<\/a> like rhyming<\/a> and alliteration. They learn how words work.<\/p>\r\n\t\r\n\t

    This strong foundation in reading paves the way for an incremental introduction of spelling skills and strategies that help students become successful spellers<\/a>.<\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n\"woman\r\n \r\n

  2. It\u2019s easier to decode words (that is, read<\/span>) than it is to encode words (spell<\/span>).<\/h3>\r\n \r\n

    Reading requires decoding. Once a child learns that the phonogram AY always says \/\u0101\/, reading words like stay<\/span>, display<\/span>, and mayhem<\/span> is easy. But spelling requires encoding. Consider the sound of \/\u0101\/, which can be written as A, AI, EA, A-consonant-E, EIGH, EI, EY, and AY. Can you see why it may be easier for a child to read<\/span> the word neighbor<\/span> than it is for him to spell<\/span> the word neighbor<\/span>?<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    Acquiring the skills required to decode words provides the foundation students need to learn to encode words.<\/p><\/li>\r\n \r\n

  3. Reading helps build a visual memory of many words, which makes spelling much easier.<\/h3>\r\n \r\n

    This visual memory will enable your child to see when they\u2019ve misspelled something. It also helps determine whether to spell height<\/span> as height<\/span> or hite<\/span>, and how to choose between homophones such as merry<\/span>, Mary<\/span>, or marry<\/span>. Learning to read first provides a \u201cscaffolding\u201d approach<\/a> to learning spelling.<\/p><\/li>\r\n\t\r\n\t

  4. Young hands may not be developmentally ready for a lot of writing.<\/h3>\r\n\t

    Before the age of 6 or 7, the bones in a child\u2019s hands are not fully developed. The physical act of writing with narrow pencils can put too much strain on little hands. It's fine if young children want<\/span> to do some writing, but we recommend not requiring<\/span> prolonged writing before this age.<\/p><\/li>\r\n <\/ol>\r\n \r\n

    Successful spelling requires a combination of four main spelling strategies<\/a>\u2014visual, phonetic, rules-based, and morphemic\u2014and reading gives your student a strong start in all four areas.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\"overhead\r\n\r\n

    3 Reasons to Start Spelling NOW<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

    While you don\u2019t want to start spelling lessons too early, you don\u2019t want to wait too long, either.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    This is an important point. Some programs recommend that you delay spelling instruction until the child is in third grade. Assuming your child can read at the basic level, third grade is too long to wait. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n
    1. You don\u2019t want your child to start guessing at how to spell words<\/a>. Bad habits are hard to correct. It is better to learn something correctly the first time.<\/li>\r\n\r\n
    2. Spelling should be taught before your child needs it for other subjects in school.<\/li>\r\n\r\n
    3. Gaining skills and confidence early in his school years will keep your child from internalizing the idea that \u201cI\u2019m just a bad speller.\u201d<\/li><\/ol>\r\n\r\n

      Ideally, you should start teaching spelling by the end of first grade. But if your child is older than that, don\u2019t despair! All About Spelling<\/cite> is perfect for older kids<\/a> as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"older\r\n\r\n

      For Some Kids, Spelling Comes before Reading<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

      Some kids are actually able to wrap their minds around spelling more easily than reading. These kids are usually very analytical, and some of them have tried to learn to read so many times that they are frustrated with the whole process. Most often, their previous reading programs have let them down and they feel like they\u2019ve hit a wall. But when they start fresh with All About Spelling<\/cite>, it\u2019s like a light bulb goes on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      Instead of trying yet another reading program\u2014and fearing they\u2019ll never be able to read\u2014a fresh start with spelling might be exactly what they need. It\u2019s not normally the way it works, but for some kids, learning to spell actually makes reading easier! We\u2019ve heard from many delighted parents and tutors who report that their students\u2019 reading level increased a couple of grade levels as they worked through All About Spelling<\/cite>. That\u2019s what I like to hear!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      We just considered a variety of scenarios, but for the vast majority of students, the answer to \u201cWhen do I start?\u201d is very simple: If your child can read, it\u2019s the perfect<\/span> time to begin spelling instruction. Just don\u2019t wait too long!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n

      Additional Spelling Resources You May Find Useful<\/h2>\r\n