Teaching spelling in school

[teacups]

Very true!
Our school no longer teaches the multiplication table (they are trying to get away from rote memorization). The multiplication table is something I memorized in third grade, and I have used it many times every day of my life since then. I want my kids to learn it. I'm making a game of it and having them learn it at home, with some little rewards along the way.

Luckily our school still believes in spelling tests and handwriting. These are all skills that people do use in daily life even in 2009.

For X's tables, try mathfactcafe.com you can have the kids do on-line flashcards and the site is free!

 

[padams]

My kids' private elementary school didn't have a spelling curriculum. The school believed that the kids would just forget the words after the test so there was no point in the traditional spelling lists. The school did use the Worldly Wise book for vocabulary and did a lot of the Orton Gillingham phonics rules (which they claimed replaced spelling).

 

[HamTown]

Thanks for all the replies. I think it's because my son isn't a "natural" speller that worries me the most. It's the basic rules of spelling that I think should be taught: "i before e, except after c", r-controlled vowels and vowel blends that just aren't intuitive and have to be learned.

I like my son's teacher and think her other writing instruction is great, but the no-dictionary rule is a little strange. I also realize that her hands are tied as far as what she can teach because of our state mandated exams. This goes up to the administration level.

 

[pixiedustaholic]

My DS8 is in 3rd grade. Last year they changed the way they do spelling tests. The old way was to give them a list of x number of words and they memorized how to spell them. The teachers called those exact words out for the test. Most kids memorized them long enough for the test and that was it.

Now, they learn word "chunks." For example, -ate. The teacher will call out words containing this "chunk." You never know if it's going to be plate, crate, slate, etc. They learn a few "chunks" each week and they will always have words from previous weeks as well for review. It was tough for him to adapt but it has helped them learn to spell rather than just short term memorization of the words.

Spelling is not a category on the report cards. It is included in the Language Arts grade.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I'm a junior in high school and I had a spelling/vocab test today.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Sixth grade teacher (still elementary school here)

Around here spelling associated with phonics instruction and stops somewhere around third or fourth grade. This becomes a problem as many of the students don't know how to spell irregular words or obtain meaning of an unknown word (just sound it out). This year they've add vocabulary as they realized many low test scores in Math and Science are low because of not knowing what the question is asking (example: evaluate the following expression).

As far as cursive, handwriting in general is no longer emphasized. I tell my students (as I teach only Math and homeroom) as long as its legible they can write in either cursive or print. Only our language arts/reading teacher requires cursive and that is only for formal, untyped final drafts.

This is my first year teaching and I wish more kids' earlier teachers or parents had taught them basic facts (not only multiplication tables, but also addition and subtraction facts). Many of my students still count on their fingers.

 

[MM27]

In my district spelling is not a graded subject. They get a grade for Writing and then one of the subcategories under writing says SPELLS WORDS CORRECTLY IN WRITING. They have moved away from weekly spelling tests because kids would study for the test and then not be able to spell the words correctly a week later.

Cursive is taught in 3rd grade and then never again. My first year we taught cursive in 4th grade as well, but they stopped that during my second year.

We use Everyday Math in my district too. EDM does include timed tests for fact practice. I will start these soon (50 problems in 4 minutes). Told the kids today in fact that they need to practice at home because it will make 4th grade skills 10x harder if they don't know their basic facts.
aaamath.com is also a good practice site.