Donate to Remove ads

Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators

Thanks to johnstevens77,Bhoddhisatva,scotia,Anonymous,Cornytiv34, for Donating to support the site

Spelling

Family, children, advice, schooling, finance for children, all things kids.
stewamax
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2417
Joined: November 7th, 2016, 2:40 pm
Has thanked: 83 times
Been thanked: 782 times

Re: Spelling

#260317

Postby stewamax » October 26th, 2019, 2:16 pm

At a slightly earlier age, when children are learning to read, the rhythms and intonations of spoken English are also absorbed as well as correct spelling. When read aloud, the books of Julia Donaldson (The Gruffalo, The Highway Rat and so on) and Theodor (Dr) Seuss that are full of both simple rhymes and sometimes quite elaborate rhymes and alliteration are an excellent way to learn how to present oneself clearly without mumbling – something perhaps more important than spelling later in life during a meeting or interview.
That these books are hugely popular with children owes much to the fluidity of the text as well as quirky illustrations.
Donaldson has also written a large number of short phonics-based books.

Loup321
Lemon Slice
Posts: 287
Joined: November 17th, 2016, 9:52 am
Has thanked: 104 times
Been thanked: 145 times

Re: Spelling

#260764

Postby Loup321 » October 29th, 2019, 10:13 am

Thank you for all the encouraging replies. I've just come back from a week's holiday with no internet, so I apologise for not replying to any messages sooner.

While we were away, we had plenty of time to work on the spelling together. Her work ethic has improved temendously since she has started school, so it was really easy getting down to things, and I think we managed to cover all the basics of phonics and learn the Year 2 spelling list completely. We will continue this as time allows around work and school.

I had a quick read of these posts yesterday, and had a chat with her last night. Yes, she is worried about it. It seems that mostly she and a partner work together to correct each other's work, and as her partner writes "i" instead of "I", because capital letters are only for the beginning of sentences, she doesn't believe everything he says. She is also working much faster than she is used to, and handwriting is suffering. She doesn't get time to think about spelling, because she struggles to get all her thoughts down on paper in the allotted time. Also, she feels (whether it's true or not, I don't know) that she is not eligible to win the poetry competition because she didn't do her entry in joined up writing. I didn't teach her to write cursive, because I think it is often taught in UK schools before children can even form their letters properly, and it ends up looking a complete mess. So we have a few issues that she is aware of.

I don't think her teacher is able to help. It feels as though the ball has been passed back to me directly. We haven't even found a way to get misspelt words out of her schoolbooks into my hands yet.

A few of you have suggested I encourage her to read, and the school sent out an "advert" (for want of a better word) explaining why reading is so important (some of which I disageed with). She reads for 15 minutes per day, as required by the school, but prefers to watch YouTube videos on mathematics and the solar system for her enjoyment. Believe me, we have tried getting her to read books on the subjects she is interested in! YouTube is more relaxing as you don't have to do anything for the ideas to get into your head. Her vocabulary is wide, but she doesn't see words written down. I read to her each night in bed for about 20 minutes, and we're currently reading Five on a Treasure Island (Enid Blyton) and The Shepherd's Crown (Terry Pratchett). I will work on this some more.

She did take to reading later than I had hoped, but one month she just "got" it. It's reassuring that bungeejumper thinks that most kids will "get" spelling in their early teens. I don't think she will fall behind in other work because of it, as she seems to be able to read any word that she has heard before. I'm not sure of the social implications. She has arguments with her partner daily, and is struggling with making friends at playtime (the teacher is aware of this now, and will keep an eye on her).

AsleepInYorkshire:
Don't worry. Sheesh I can't believe I said that :roll: Don't overthink this - and again I should practice this more ... and try not to pressure yourself or your daughter with timelines. She's got loads of time to pick this up and she will.


Yeah right! I'm her MUMMY! It's my JOB to worry! :roll: At the moment, I'm worried that keeping her home from school for nearly four years was the wrong decision, and ALSO worrying that sending her to school at all was the wrong decision! We had planned to keep her off until secondary school, so I'm happier that I'm seeing the problems now, while the learning is not as important (I know it's all important, but the further on you are the less opportunity there is for catching up).

I wish there were a switch to turn off the worrying and self-doubt (I do know that I'm the best Mummy she has got), the same as I wish there were a switch to turn off the climbing on everything, needing food every ten minutes, wanting to do craft as soon as I wake up or as soon as I get in from a day's work etc. I'm not putting a timeline on it, and she wants me to continue helping her with it, so I think that balance in our house is right. I've stressed that as long as she is trying her best, that's all that matters, and I'm very proud of her for making the transition into school as well as she has anyway. We'll fix the little problems as they arise, and spend a little time each day on them when we can.

Thanks again for all your comments,

LouP (and the small one)

Urbandreamer
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3121
Joined: December 7th, 2016, 9:09 pm
Has thanked: 347 times
Been thanked: 1025 times

Re: Spelling

#260794

Postby Urbandreamer » October 29th, 2019, 12:06 pm

Loup321 wrote:Believe me, we have tried getting her to read books on the subjects she is interested in! YouTube is more relaxing as you don't have to do anything for the ideas to get into your head.


My children are a bit further along, so I’m not sure that my recommendations will be appropriate.

In terms of motivational books I have heard good things about “Blue Broccoli and Nanobots”
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/ ... d-nanobots
and her more recent “Qubits and quiver trees”.

The disk world books are great, and even better if you read them aloud.
For example try pronouncing the name of this capital city, Djelibeybi.
https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Djelibeybi The books are really aimed more at adults or young adults, but the language is not complex. Possibly after she finishes the Tiffany books.

Diana Wynne Jones has written a number of good children’s books. She and you could read Howl’s moving Castle.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/629 ... earch=true
Then you could compare it to the film and discus which is better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howl%27s_ ... stle_(film)

Eight might be far too young for the Manga guide series, Molecular Biology or Calculus might be for the future. However given her Youtube interests this one may be of interest.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manga-Guide-Un ... 1593272677

Loup321
Lemon Slice
Posts: 287
Joined: November 17th, 2016, 9:52 am
Has thanked: 104 times
Been thanked: 145 times

Re: Spelling

#260809

Postby Loup321 » October 29th, 2019, 1:04 pm

Thanks for those ideas, Urbandreamer.

We tried reading The Colour of Magic as our bedtime story before The Shepherd's Crown, but it was too complicated. It's not the language, but that it had far more ideas running through each paragraph, and the scene changes were much more frequent. I could understand her wanting to give up after about three days of it! We have read the Nomes books, and I have The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. (By the way, I say "Jelly Baby")

We have tried the Rainbow Fairies books, but I think I am more interested in fairies than she is! The books seemed to be set in a more old-fashioned era, and because she didn't enjoy them I did have reservations about the Famous Five, but she is absolutely loving Five on a Treasure Island. We've read the Faraway Tree series, and I have the Wishing Chair books somewhere around.

She does like The Trouble with Daisy books, and as her cousin is also a massive fan (he actually reads them...) that might be an idea to read further.

I'll certainly look into your other suggestions. "Blue Brocolli and Nanobots" is conjuring strange images in my mind!


Return to “Family Matters”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests