OTHER STRATEGIES FOR BEING A GOOD SPELLER
SPELLING USING VISUAL INFORMATION
SPELLING USING AUDITORY INFORMATION
SPELLING USING KINAESTHETIC MNEMONICS (MEMORY JOGS)
LOOK-SAY-COVER-WRITE-CHECK TECHNIQUE
Some people are naturally good spellers. Most of us worry
about our spelling but realise that correct spelling is really
only vital when we are writing final copies of assignments
and other important 'public' documents.
Even the most experienced writers use a dictionary or ask
for help when they are writing something where it's important
to be correct. A good dictionary, thesaurus or the computer
spell check are invaluable but not always available or easy
to use.
Here are some suggestions and strategies to help you to improve
your spelling skills.
We've also included some links to other sites that you might
find useful.
SPELLING
TIPS
The most important thing to remember about spelling is that
it's a skill you learn by writing and seeing the words on
the page. Hearing the sounds is not as useful as you might
think as there are so many ways of writing the same sound.
For example, ate and eight
Always have a go at spelling. Don't substitute an
easier word if it doesn't say exactly what you want. Have
a guess at the spelling and fix it up later when your thoughts
are on the paper.
Don't worry about your spelling all the time. Whenever possible,
write a first draft. Don't worry about spelling until your
draft is finished. You will lose your train of thought if
you stop frequently to look up words.
Focus on the flow and meaning of your writing. Edit your
work and check your spelling at the end.
Proofread your writing after you have written a first draft.
As you edit your draft, underline the parts of the word that
look wrong. Try out alternative spellings and then check the
dictionary.
When correcting words, correct the whole word, not just the
wrong bits. This helps to imprint the correct spelling in
your memory.
KEEPING
A PERSONAL SPELLING LIST
You are more likely to remember how to spell words which
are important to you personally.
Don't try to learn words you'll never use. Concentrate on
those words you'll need in your study rather than learning
lists of words out of context.
Use an alphabetical notebook (like an address book found
at most newsagents) to record spellings that you have trouble
with or that are of interest to you. Focus on words you use
often in your study area.
Keep your spelling notebook with you all the time. Refer
to it when you are writing your final copies.
Most word processing programs have a spell checker.
These are a great help and it's a good idea to run the
spell check through your draft copy. However, there
are some things to look out for when you use the spell
checker. Don't automatically assume the computer is
correct.
Some programs, like 'Word" automatically check
spelling as you type and highlight errors with a red
wavy line.
As you can see from the example above the computer spell
checker has only detected one error (wavey) and has
allowed read and lion.
The computer can't detect that read and lion are not correctly
spelt in this context.
Computer spell checkers will also highlight unfamiliar spelling
as errors e.g. a person's name such as Vladimir or
Quong.
USING
DICTIONARIES AND THESAURUSES
There are some great dictionaries and thesauruses online
to use as spelling references.
These are quite easy to use and worthwhile bookmarking (adding
to your favourites list) for easy reference.