Spelling Irregular Words

2010-04-05

Many students have difficulty with spelling throughout the elementary grades and beyond. This is especially true for the many words in English that do not follow spelling rules.

Here are some ideas for helping students who have this difficulty.

• Require the student to use a dictionary to find the correct spelling of words he/she cannot spell correctly. A dictionary of the most commonly misspelled words can be helpful here.
• Have the student proofread his or her written papers for possible spelling errors. Reinforce the student for each correction he/she makes.
• Have the student keep a list of words he/she uses that do not follow spelling rules. Have him/her review these words as often as possible.
• Provide weekly spelling bees using words that do not follow spelling rules.
• Encourage the student to use words he/she finds difficult to spell as often as possible in their written work.

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