Why spelling can be difficult

Me breaking the news to a school aged client that sometimes words don’t follow the rules

So why is spelling so difficult? Well lets first talk about the foundation. Before anything else, we teach the names of each letter of the alphabet and their corresponding sound that they make (also known as phonics). Once this has been achieved, we can then work towards blending single letter sounds together to form simple CVC words like ‘cat’. Simultaneously, we should be working on spelling these words both in verbal and written form.

It becomes trickier when sounds are introduced that contain 2 or more letters (e.g., night, shop, think). Then we add in spelling rules to the mix (a quick google search will help us find them). But wait, these rules have exceptions so don’t forget to remember these!

It’s no surprise that many people struggle with spelling. There are many layers to this skill, and at times it just doesn’t make sense. However, with repetition and exposure, this skill can be improved over time no matter your age. Start building this skill at an early age with your children by reading books to them often, and helping them identify letters and their sounds. It can help to associate a letter sound with an item (e,g., a for apple).

For people with disabilities, there is assistive technology available to help with reading and writing. The C-Pen is a wonderful piece of technology which scans written text and reads it out to the user. Voice to text software is built in to most smart phones, and can be a useful tool to send messages to others.

If you are having difficulty with spelling, reading, or writing, please reach out for help!