Does your child find the weekly spelling tests at school daunting? Do they frequently make mistakes with their writing? Or do they spend heaps of time memorising their spelling lists, only for them to forget them all a week later?
If your child is having trouble spelling written words correctly, they may need Spelling Skills Therapy.
What to look out for
It’s important for kids to be able to spell correctly. It’s a vital skill, from primary school through to university and beyond. While not every job requires spelling, applying for those jobs certainly does.
With such a heavy emphasis on spelling at school, your child’s teacher should pick up on any issues they’re having, but as their parent you may have already noticed some of the warning signs:
- They have trouble spelling words when doing their homework, and keep asking you to help them spell the words.
- You regularly see spelling errors in their written work.
- They have trouble spelling words out loud.
- They write words phonetically (the way they sound) instead of using specific spelling rules.
- They try to avoid doing any homework that involves spelling.
If you have noticed any of these warning signs, then you should make an appointment with Kids Chatter to talk about Spelling Skills Therapy.
Why it’s important to seek help now
When it comes to writing, English is one of the most difficult languages to learn because it has “borrowed” words and spellings from many other languages and if your child has phonological awareness difficulties as well, spelling can be a real challenge, but they need to learn.
Poor spelling will usually bring down their marks for any written work, regardless of how good the content is. It may put them off doing their school work, which will further affect their learning and with job applications often being rejected for spelling mistakes, it could also jeopardise their career prospects in adulthood.
If the problem isn’t identified and treated early, your child will find it harder and harder to catch up and the gap between their abilities and what’s expected will continue to widen.
How we help your child improve their spelling
At Kids Chatter, we’ll start by assessing your child’s phonological awareness skills, as this is closely related to spelling ability. Then we’ll see how they go spelling some familiar words.
Next, we’ll get them to spell some made-up words (to avoid them relying on memory of words they have learned), and see what strategies they use to spell words they’ve never seen or heard before.
We’ll also look at whether they’re using appropriate words when they write. They may be avoiding words they have trouble spelling by choosing simpler words, which they may not be using in the right context.
With our help, your child will learn how to spell words correctly and confidently. Their written assignments will get the marks they deserve, their reading ability will also improve and their success will continue into their adult life.
Instead of avoiding tasks that involve writing things down, they’ll gladly take them on and what they write will be understood by everyone.
If your child is struggling with spelling, please call us today to arrange an assessment on 0432 735 044.
