My son is in Primary Four. He gets good marks on his dictation but a few days after the test, he can't spell the words. What should I do?
Education consultant Florence Robertson replies:
Many children do extremely well on dictation tests but cannot spell the words a few weeks later. In most cases the students have memorised the words. They have not understood the reasons for the particular spelling.
Students need to know the reasons and rules for the spelling of words, such as the repetition of letters. The following are some steps that may be helpful to your son in remembering the correct spelling of words.
Have your son look at each word carefully on the dictation list. Ask him to close his eyes and visualise the words as you say them. Then ask him to spell each word aloud after you say them again.
Tell your son you will help him with his spelling by giving him a daily quiz. Explain to him that you will first say each word aloud and then within a sentence. Then you will say the word again.
Point out that after you follow these steps, you will ask him to write the word or the complete sentence. Begin this procedure by saying the word and the sentence slowly and clearly. After he has written all the words or sentences, read the complete list to him again. Ask him to correct the test himself and to identify the words he missed or spelled incorrectly. Request that he look at the correct spelling of each word that he misspelled and say it aloud. Then ask him to close his eyes and picture the correct spelling of the word, and then spell the word out loud.