Use it or lose it! Revision of the Spelling Tips

So you've watched all the videos but how much can you remember? Not much, a lot, nothing? That's natural, we forget stuff, remember from tip 3 you have to work at remembering things.

Let's go over the key points in my Top Ten Spelling Tips Series

Spelling tip 1: Spelling vs. Reading. Reading doesn't improve spelling. Just because you’ve seen a word, read it, and copied it down once, doesn’t mean you'll be able to spell it. You must work at and study spelling, question it, notice it and think about it.

Spelling tip number 2: Knowing the history of spelling and words helps you realise why spelling is the way it is and stops you getting frustrated with it. 

Spelling tip 3: Spelling memory. Most forgetting happens in the first few hours. So you need to revise little and often. Writing and spelling are interlinked. If you want to improve your spelling you must write. Use the words you want to learn in a piece of writing and it will help fix their meaning and their spelling in your mind.

Spelling tip 4: Spelling vs. Speaking and how you mustn't fret over your accent and think it's at fault for your spelling. We've always had different accents and dialects which means we can’t have a phonetic spelling system. The guys in the 1800's who wrote the first "real" English dictionary (Oxford English Dictionary), knew this, didn't give a hoot about making spelling easy or writing it phonetically. They were more concerned about showing the history and roots of the words most likely because there were too many accents and dialects to make it work this way. 

Spelling Tip 5: Use memory tricks to help you remember difficult spellings. Use rhymes and saying and any trick to help you to remember how to spell words

Spelling Tip 6: Use syllable breakdown. Using syllable breakdown is a strategy to help you, especially with those long words and it's up to you how you do it as long has it helps you. There's no right or wrong way. Exaggerate the sound, use it in combination with memory tricks, use anything to help you remember the spelling of words that are important in your life. 

Breaking words down into syllables is especially good for good spellers who need a strategy to help them spell long words.
qualification - qua / li / fi / ca / tion
identification- i/den/ti/fi ca tion

Spelling Tip 7: Take an interest in words. Knowing the origins and history of words, and why they are spelled the way they are, is a great way to understand and learn them. English is an interesting language full of words borrowed from other languages, and is still growing. No one can put a figure on how many words are in the English language because it's growing all the time, especially with technology and scientific words.

Spelling Tip 8: The do’s and don’ts of spelling. It's never ever too late to learn to spell well. Do work on your spelling do exercises, tests, write. Do enjoy spelling for all its quirky ways

Spelling Tip 9: Learn spelling rules. It’s always good to know why spelling is the way it is, and knowing spelling rules is one of many strategies to help you learn to spell well.
But there are always exceptions to the rule, which you need to learn too. Sometimes it's hard to remember the rule which is fine so maybe you'll remember the spelling pattern, and at least you hopefully will know why a spelling is the way it is. I have a great exclusive spelling rules course: Spelling Rules Course

Spelling Tip 10: Use it or lose it! A revision of the spelling tips..
Keep working on your spelling, use the strategies and tips I suggest in my videos and you'll soon be spelling really well

Keep passionate about your spelling, your learning and your life.

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