The Do's & Don'ts of Spelling

Spelling Tip Number 8 - The Do's & Don'ts of Spelling
do's can also be spelled dos 

Do learn about spelling - it's never ever too late to learn to spell. If you really want to spell well then learn the rules, the conventions, notice spelling patterns and letter patterns and understand why spelling is the way it is. 
Do  write as often as you can. Also write in lower case, small letters, with capitals in the right places for proper nouns such as Joanne, Britain, Canada. This means you can see the shape of the word. Also use the capital I for I and I'm.

Don't write in BLOCK CAPITALS unless it’s on a form because it's hard to write in and to read.

Do  use the words you like even if you’re not sure of the spelling, ask someone or try to use a dictionary, or spell checker. 
Do  try to find your own errors. Proofread your emails, comments, messages, go over them again and again. Go over it slowly and read it out loud to see if you’ve missed any words, missed letters, wrote the wrong word, especially homophones. Be careful with predictive text it’s convenient but it might give you a weird, totally incorrect word.
Do make a correct copy of the words you need to learn – make a little dictionary for yourself and use the Look Say Cover Write Check method
Do  practise the words you want to use and test yourself regularly. (Use the Look Say Cover Write Check method, do spelling tests, exercises and games, which are all here on my website.

Don’t  look at / concentrate on the wrong spelling (remember visual memory is strong). Figure out what your mistakes are and then concentrate on the correct spelling and how to remember it.
Don’t  learn words you’ll never use. Concentrate on those you need. 
Don’t try to learn too many words at once. Pick the most important key words for your work, life and home.
Don’t  rely on the sound of the word for its spelling. Think about it in as many ways as you can – the look, meaning, sound, feel…

Do use memory tricks.
Do enjoy spelling in all its quirky ways, and stay passionate about your learning and life.