How to Get a Child Ready for a Spelling Bee
Teach her how to make words plural., Teach her when to drop the final "e." When adding an ending to a word that ends in "e," you employ different rules., Look at other common prefixes and suffixes., Discuss silent letters., Talk about homophones...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Teach her how to make words plural.
Breaking spelling down to the basics can help a child spell a word even if she's never heard it before.
One of the basic rules you can teach her is how to make words plural.Start with the most basic, adding "s." Explain that most words just take an "s" to make them plural.Move to "es." Let her know that you add "es" with words in ending in ch, sh, s, x, or z most of the time, as in "box" to "boxes."Explain the rules for words ending in "y." Much of the time, when you have a vowel and a "y," you simply add an "s," like with "boys." However, with a consonant and a "y," you usually add "ies," like with "babies."Explain how words ending in "f" or "fe" can differ.
Sometimes, words ending in "f" or "fe" change the "f" to a "v" and add "es," as in "knife" to "knives."Watch for words ending in "o." Some words ending in "o" just take an "s," while sometimes when a consonant comes before the "o," it takes an "es" instead, as in "heroes." -
Step 2: Teach her when to drop the final "e." When adding an ending to a word that ends in "e
The rules affect whether you keep the "e" or not, and having your child learn the rules can help her spell variations on rules.When the word ends with a silent "e" and the ending begins with a vowel, you drop the "e," so "name" becomes "naming."If your ending begins with a consonant, you keep the "e," such as how "advance" becomes "advancement." However, if the word ends in two vowels, you can drop the "e," such as when "argue" becomes "argument."
Knowing how common prefixes and suffixes are spelled can help your kid sound out words.
Start by getting a primer on the basic prefixes and suffixes, and use it to go over the basics with your child.Prefixes, such as "dis" or "in," often do not change the spelling of the main word, making them easier to learn.For instance, "interested" becomes "disinterested," without changing the main word.
Suffixes, such as "ing," "ous," and "ed," often do change the spelling of the main word, so they can be a bit harder to learn.
For instance, "advance" becomes "advancing," dropping the silent "e," as noted previously. , Silent letters can be killers for new (and even old) spellers.
Talk with your child about the most common silent letters that she may encounter.For instance, "b" is a common silent letter at the end of the word in words like "lamb" or "comb." "K" is often silent as well.
Common examples include "knowledge" and "knight." "P" and "L" are both silent in "psalm," while "n" can't be heard in words like "hymn" or "autumn." "S" becomes silent in "island" or "isle," while "w" is silent in "write." Other letters that can become silent include "a," "c," "d," "t," and "u."Go over common words with silent letters, especially ones on her list. , Homophones are words that sound the same or similar but have different spellings and meanings.
They can be very confusing to new spellers.Discuss common homonyms such as where/wear, their/there/they're, which/witch, and are/our.
While pronunciation can help in a few cases, work with your child to understand that the only way to tell some words apart is by asking for the definition.Have your kid use memory tricks to help her tell common words apart.
For instance, you could use "Witches like to scratch their itches with broomsticks." to help her tell it apart from "which."
Kids who read regularly pick up spelling more easily.
The more often they are exposed to correct spelling, the more likely they are to pick up that word.
Encourage your kid to read everyday.
If she doesn't like to read by herself, sit down and read with her.
She'll be more accepting if she gets to spend time with you.
Make her sound out words as she goes, so she can start associating certain spellings with certain sounds. , Etymology refers to a word's history, including the root language it came from.English has incorporated words from many other languages over the years.
Latin and French, for instance, have both had a significant impact, and knowing when a word is derived from one of these languages can help give a clue about how to spell it.German is also a heavy influence.Explore words by language groupings.
Many websites offer this service, and it can help your child learn how words from a particular language can have common spellings.For instance, words from German are heavy on consonants, and they often have more internal and ending "z"s than other English words, such as "glitz," "pretzel," or "waltz."French words, on the other hand, are often heavier on vowels, to the point that consonant sounds are sometimes softened, like with the "g" in "collage" or the "ch" in "chagrin." -
Step 3: " you employ different rules.
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Step 4: Look at other common prefixes and suffixes.
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Step 5: Discuss silent letters.
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Step 6: Talk about homophones.
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Step 7: Focus on reading.
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Step 8: Work on etymology.
Detailed Guide
Breaking spelling down to the basics can help a child spell a word even if she's never heard it before.
One of the basic rules you can teach her is how to make words plural.Start with the most basic, adding "s." Explain that most words just take an "s" to make them plural.Move to "es." Let her know that you add "es" with words in ending in ch, sh, s, x, or z most of the time, as in "box" to "boxes."Explain the rules for words ending in "y." Much of the time, when you have a vowel and a "y," you simply add an "s," like with "boys." However, with a consonant and a "y," you usually add "ies," like with "babies."Explain how words ending in "f" or "fe" can differ.
Sometimes, words ending in "f" or "fe" change the "f" to a "v" and add "es," as in "knife" to "knives."Watch for words ending in "o." Some words ending in "o" just take an "s," while sometimes when a consonant comes before the "o," it takes an "es" instead, as in "heroes."
The rules affect whether you keep the "e" or not, and having your child learn the rules can help her spell variations on rules.When the word ends with a silent "e" and the ending begins with a vowel, you drop the "e," so "name" becomes "naming."If your ending begins with a consonant, you keep the "e," such as how "advance" becomes "advancement." However, if the word ends in two vowels, you can drop the "e," such as when "argue" becomes "argument."
Knowing how common prefixes and suffixes are spelled can help your kid sound out words.
Start by getting a primer on the basic prefixes and suffixes, and use it to go over the basics with your child.Prefixes, such as "dis" or "in," often do not change the spelling of the main word, making them easier to learn.For instance, "interested" becomes "disinterested," without changing the main word.
Suffixes, such as "ing," "ous," and "ed," often do change the spelling of the main word, so they can be a bit harder to learn.
For instance, "advance" becomes "advancing," dropping the silent "e," as noted previously. , Silent letters can be killers for new (and even old) spellers.
Talk with your child about the most common silent letters that she may encounter.For instance, "b" is a common silent letter at the end of the word in words like "lamb" or "comb." "K" is often silent as well.
Common examples include "knowledge" and "knight." "P" and "L" are both silent in "psalm," while "n" can't be heard in words like "hymn" or "autumn." "S" becomes silent in "island" or "isle," while "w" is silent in "write." Other letters that can become silent include "a," "c," "d," "t," and "u."Go over common words with silent letters, especially ones on her list. , Homophones are words that sound the same or similar but have different spellings and meanings.
They can be very confusing to new spellers.Discuss common homonyms such as where/wear, their/there/they're, which/witch, and are/our.
While pronunciation can help in a few cases, work with your child to understand that the only way to tell some words apart is by asking for the definition.Have your kid use memory tricks to help her tell common words apart.
For instance, you could use "Witches like to scratch their itches with broomsticks." to help her tell it apart from "which."
Kids who read regularly pick up spelling more easily.
The more often they are exposed to correct spelling, the more likely they are to pick up that word.
Encourage your kid to read everyday.
If she doesn't like to read by herself, sit down and read with her.
She'll be more accepting if she gets to spend time with you.
Make her sound out words as she goes, so she can start associating certain spellings with certain sounds. , Etymology refers to a word's history, including the root language it came from.English has incorporated words from many other languages over the years.
Latin and French, for instance, have both had a significant impact, and knowing when a word is derived from one of these languages can help give a clue about how to spell it.German is also a heavy influence.Explore words by language groupings.
Many websites offer this service, and it can help your child learn how words from a particular language can have common spellings.For instance, words from German are heavy on consonants, and they often have more internal and ending "z"s than other English words, such as "glitz," "pretzel," or "waltz."French words, on the other hand, are often heavier on vowels, to the point that consonant sounds are sometimes softened, like with the "g" in "collage" or the "ch" in "chagrin."
About the Author
Kyle Shaw
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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