I came across an interesting book written by Sandra Wilde called 'Spelling strategies and Patterns'. Wilde's approach to spelling is to let the child construct their own knowledge on how language works, basically build on what the children already know through conversations.
Wilde continues to explain that actual set spelling test are not the best solution when it comes down to teaching children spellings. Rather than spelling tests perhaps through continous reading and writing will help the child remember the words and therefore help to spell. What people miss when teaching children spellings is in order to actually spell the child needs some knowledge on how to read and write first. Through reading and writing children can then pick up words through doing reading and writing activities and hence help improve spellings.
The overview of the book continues to explain that children at first represent letters as imagery. Through drawing/scribbles the child will slowly form the shape of the word and will start to recognise what that shape/letter represents.
However the overview goes on to explain that different children (and adults) have different strengths when it comes to learning. Overall the intro to the book provides an interesting point as to what makes children successful learners.
This makes me wonder does the traditional spelling tests work for some students? With a interactive spelling test I could perhaps create a spelling test which includes both reading, spelling and typing as children need to learn how to use a computer keyboard, something that could be beneficial for the children in future activities.
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