Planning to Publish Guest Posts on SpellQuiz?

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So, let’s start with a guessing game – you run a NEW educational website and planning rank faster on search engines? Guest posts could be an excellent option for you since you are thriving to get traffic on your site.

If you are a follower of our website, you might have the idea of how we are planning to serve the netizens. We want to create a place where students, parents, and even teachers can come a learn more about learning the English language. There is a special place in our hearts who trying to learn English as a Second Language (ESL learners) and the eager participants of Spelling Bee

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! it combines the effectiveness of a spelling bee test with the excitement of playing games. 

We cordially welcome any great guest blogger who shares the same ideology of us. So, today, we thought of sharing some features that we would love to see on the guest posts.

Don’t worry; it’s not like any BIG BOOK of rules!

However, following some guidelines would help both of growing stronger.

Are you ready?

Let’s Be Transparent!

We would love to know who we are working with. Having guest posts from any John Doe is NOT something we are looking for.

So, the first thing we are looking for is a clear identity.

The whole idea of guest posts is – building sustainable relationships. Honesty and transparency are two key things we are asking of you.

Before we start, you should clearly mention –

  • The name of the author (preferably with a small bio)
  • The website’s name that you are planning to promote

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Being Relevant

Maybe you have a great website on pet niche or healthcare niche. We really appreciate your effort to serve the people with something useful, we really do!

However, SpellQuiz is an educational website, and we intend to keep things that way. So, we WILL NOT accept any blog that doesn’t have any connection to education.

Our readers have a lot of expectation from us as we always have tried to help them with topics that are closely tied to education, more specifically K-12 education.

So, what’s the gist here?

Your articles should be strictly within the K-12 education niche and should have VALUE that would serve the reader-base.

We Love Keeping Things Detailed!

Writing is a great and rare skill, and we do appreciate great writers. But you have to keep in mind that guest posts are not like small sticky notes or Tweets. We always love giving extensive details on a topic while we are creating blog materials.

So, we think that your guest posts should have a minimum length between 1,000 to 2,000 words. 

This is the optimum size, and we intend to keep things that way. We don’t mind if you are creating too big a piece as long as it is relevant and full of helpful information without fluff words. 

Even if you write an article that is good but too short (say 400 to 500 words), our editorial team will not publish it. So, you shouldn’t bother.

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Quality is Everything!

If some company has the best marketing, best analysis team, even the highest brand tag, it will fail if the actual product is poor.

The same can be said about content writing. No matter how great your SEO is, no matter how many backlinks you manage to add, no matter how witty your social media manager is, you cannot win the hearts of the readers if you have substandard writing quality.

We are not asking you be a Neil Patel!

But make your contents a bit interesting for the readers, have a communicative-storytelling tone (nobody like big chunks of words), add smart headlines, and finally, don’t jibber-jabber our readers expect useful information from us.

Finally, we don’t want spelling errors, silly grammatical mistakes or any kind of plagiarism.

SpellQuiz is a website trying to help people with English language learning. So, clearly, such rookie mistakes will badly ruin our impression to the readers.

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About the Backlinks

The first and foremost purpose of the whole idea of guest posts is getting valuable backlinks and better SEO. We don’t think we need to clear that up!

You can add as much as external backlinks you want to your website or some other website. You have the complete liberty.

However, you need to create 2 internal links within SpellQuiz for each external link. It’s a mandatory rule, and we will not tolerate anything otherwise.

Why are we implanting such a rule?

It’s simple – we want better, interconnected contents. Articles without links are rather isolated, and we are looking for more interconnectivity.

There is another vital reason for making such demand. We want to make sure all the blogs on our website should have relevancy and strong connection with SpellQuiz and, of course, education in overall sense. 

Make Sure to Create a Hype!

Doesn’t it feel nice when you see your contents being shared over the social platforms and people talking about it?

We are looking for reader engagement and getting social signals from all the articles on our website.

However, if your article is not getting the hype that means there is some serious issue with it. It would be your responsibility to create a buzz with your article.

That means you will have to take the responsibility of promoting your article. If your article cannot create a buzz with say 6 or 12 months, we will have to take it down!

One more thing, we are requesting you to write on topics that are trendy and fresh. In that way, you can create a good amount of publicity and that would help both of us. 

We also expect you to update your writings from time to time so that they can remain evergreen and never go obsolete to the readers. 

So, make sure to have a promotional plan for the articles you want to publish.

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Use Lots of Images but Be Careful!

You should add images with the guest posts. Images make the reading experience more soothing for the readers. You can use as many images as you like, we don’t mind!

But you should have the authority to use the images you are adding to the article. More specifically, use only licensed images or “free-to-use” images.

Furthermore, you should mention the source of the images while posting. We don’t want to be on the gunpoint of the copyright regulation acts.

What Should be Your Final Step for the Guest Posts?

So, if everything seems okay for you, feel free to give us a knock. We want to help our readers with useful and insightful articles as much as possible.

When you are giving us a buzz, please share a few links of your blogs that you think are the best you can offer!

Lastly, please have some patience as we are going through a lot every day. If we cannot reply instantly, that means we are probably busy with something, and we don’t want to keep you waiting. We would get back to you as quickly as possible!

Dealing with Dyslexia: The Ultimate Guide for the Parents

dyslexia | SpellQuiz
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Not every single child will learn to read at the same pace. We sometimes think that our children might be feeling that a text or a passage is just too hard to read. If your child is having a real hard time to read out loud, there is a big chance that he or she might be a victim of dyslexia.

Dealing with dyslexia surely is a frustrating situation. Not just for your kid, for you also. But the case of dyslexia is not that rare. At the very beginning of learning to read, about 70-80% children displays some signs of various forms of dyslexia. With the passage of time, the symptoms start to fade away.

Still, about 5-10% kids cannot surpass the evil circle of this unhappy disorder. In some regions of the world, the number soars up to 17%!

The good news is overcoming dyslexia is possible. With great determination and a positive attitude, your kid can also be free from the vicious disorder called dyslexia.

Without wasting any more time, let us start with our ultimate guide to fight off dyslexia. Sit back, relax, and grab yourself a cup of coffee! This is going to be a long and detailed guide.

Let’s begin, shall we?

Table of Contents

What is Dyslexia?
Is Dyslexia Too Common?
Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia
Other Learning Disorders Similar to Dyslexia
Your Kid is Struggling: Social and Emotional Impacts
How Could You Diagnose Dyslexia?
When Should The Kid be Evaluated for Dyslexia?
Is it Necessary to Evaluate the Kids for Dyslexia?
How to Evaluate Kids with Dyslexia?
How Can The Teachers Help?
The Classroom Doesn’t Have to Be a Prison Cell!
Be the Role Model Your Kid Needs
Higher Education: Is It a Dream or Reality?
Concluding Words

Dyslexia Definition: The Basics

Let’s start with the dyslexia definition. Dyslexia is the neurological syndrome that causes a human being to face difficulties to decode words, spelling, and phonology. He or she finds it hard not just to pronounce the word but to read it all together.

The words might seem shuffling to them, and they find it almost impossible to find words in a text. In tougher cases, a kid with dyslexia will fail to read, write, or pronounce the word. Some parents think that a dyslexic child doesn’t have the intellect to read it. That is a misconception as dyslexia has nothing to do with patient’s intelligence, they are equally smart and capable of leading a healthy normal life. The problem is only related to reading and identifying words properly.

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

In the beginning, it might seem impossible to diagnose a child with dyslexia. Almost every kid struggles to read fluently. But as your kids will start growing and getting into the next grades, the problem will become prominent.

The International Dyslexia Institution (IDA) defines the syndrome to be a specific learning disability that is originated from a neurological imbalance that hampers fluent word or letter recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities.

A patient suffers from the adequate reading experience and lack-off the average vocabulary growth. Try this vocab test tool to understand your current skill level!

Thus he or she might gradually get lower marks in school and even fail in a subject or two. Remember, you cannot blame the child as it is none of his/her faults. You need to be supportive and always keep them motivated and inspired.

Various studies also reveal that dyslexia can be caused by DNA as it runs through families. So, we think we get the gist and now know what dyslexia is.

Is Dyslexia Too Common?

Yes, having dyslexia is not that much a rare case. In the USA, about one in every five children suffer from it. If we think about the percentage of the total population, about 15-20% of total population struggle with words at the early stages of life. Among all the learning disabilities, dyslexia is the case in about 70-80% scenarios.

The sad fact is most of the dyslexic students remain undiagnosed and often treated as – dumb! It is a shame for us to label them stupid while they are suffering miserably every single day of their lives.

Earlier, scientists and experts used to think that dyslexia is more common in boys. Although, recent studies prove that the neurological syndrome has nothing to do with the patient’s gender and both the gender are equally affected.

Dyslexia Symptoms or Dyslexia Signs

Let’s kill down the misconceptions. There are a tremendous amount of misconceptions built around dyslexia. So, now we will share the exact symptoms you should look for in your kid before labeling him or her with dyslexia.

Moreover, we will discuss some of the FAQs related to the topic.
Not every kind of reading difficulties have to be related to dyslexia. It is very common that kids who just started to learn reading and writing will face problems to read and identify words and letters. It doesn’t make them dyslexic.

Moreover, you cannot ever say that dyslexic child is not good as its peer. In some cases, they even surpass the commoners with their other talents and skills. They only find reading and pronouncing tough, not painting, solving puzzles, or any other activities.

We have prepared the list of the signs and syndromes into three categories – oral, reading, and writing. Remember, an average child might show some of these symptoms. It doesn’t mean that he or she is dyslexic. A dyslexic patient will show most or several numbers of these signs.

So, let’s check out the signs to look for!

Oral Symptoms

  • Delays to learn to talk
  • Finds hard to pronounce words
  • Gathering newer words and enriching vocabulary seems tough
  • Finds it hard to follow and stick to instructions
  • Bad with directions, confuses with left and right, north and south, etc
  • Finds it hard to memorize nursery rhymes, songs, or letters
  • Finds it hard to relate concepts and relationships
  • Forgets names or pronounce names

Reading Symptoms

  • Reading seems too hard for them
  • Cannot identify or generate rhyming words and syllables
  • Confuses with similar words and sounds, aka phonemic awareness
  • Finds it hard to identify and remember the sounds of the letters in an alphabet
  • Cannot remember or confuses with similar shapes of the letter, for example, confuses “b” with “d” and so on
  • Transpose the sequence of the letters in words
  • Struggles to pronounce longer words
  • Feels shy to read out loud
  • Bad at reading comprehensions
  • Reads slowly and struggle badly

Written Language Symptoms

  • Too much spelling mistakes
  • Mistakes with same words every time
  • Bad at revising and proofreading
  • Disorganized writing
  • Writes too slowly

Other Common Symptoms

  • Difficulty to identify the names of the colors, alphabet, and objects
  • Weaker memory
  • Has to go through the same concept multiple times to grasp them
  • Easily distracted and often procrastinates
  • Gradual low performance
  • Hates schools and school works
  • Dyslexic relatives of parents

If your child has several of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should consult experts and check if he or she has dyslexia. Although, it is very common to have one or two signs in any average child.

Other Learning Disorders Similar to Dyslexia

There are a few disorders which are too similar to dyslexia. Often many parents think that their children have dyslexia while they are the victim of other but similar neurological syndromes.

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

It is very important that you know the differences among these learning disorders. Check out the syndromes below before giving your child the tag of dyslexic.

Dysgraphia – Difficulties to Write Properly

  • Cannot be sure of the prominent hand to write
  • Slower or poor handwriting
  • Messy handwriting and disorganized papers
  • Finds too hard to copy texts
  • Weaker hand motor skill
  • Cannot remember the ideal or usual pattern to write letters

Dyscalculia – Hardship with Numbers

  • Finds it hard to count the numbers sequentially
  • Often misreads numbers
  • Finds it hard to memorize common mathematical laws and facts
  • Too many mathematical errors
  • Often confuses between addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – Difficulties to Retain Attention

  • Easily distracted
  • Mood swings
  • Inattentive
  • Cannot concentrate on a topic for a long time
  • Distracted and impulsive
  • Shows hyperactive behaviors

Dyspraxia – Difficulties to Use Motor Skills Properly

  • Weak coordination of physical movements
  • Faces difficulties to use facial muscles to pronounce words

Bad at Organization

  • Often loses objects, books, and papers
  • Weaker sense of time
  • Forgets to do chores or tasks
  • Messy desk and room
  • Can get overwhelmed by too many instructions
  • A tendency to work slowly

Some might often get confused with such symptoms and believe that the child is suffering from dyslexia. While in fact, it might not be the case. Although, you should seek professional help whichever the case is.

Your Kid is Struggling: Social and Emotional Impacts

A dyslexic child has to go through a lot. Not only he or she is doing bad academically, but he or she might also be emotionally shattered. It’s very common for them to feel inferior. Moreover, some students might be mocked by other students for their unusual behavior and constant bad academic results.

We even heard a lot of stories of bullying. Such negative impacts might do even more harm and damage to the dyslexic child.

We often find parents telling the social awkwardness their dyslexic children are facing. It’s very natural for a kid to feel shallow about and being ashamed of their disability. Such a kid will also find it hard to interact with his or her peer.

Moreover, dyslexic children might even feel awkward to tell their parents about the problems they are facing each and every day. Can you imagine how hard it would be for just a kid to go through such difficult moments?

As his or her parent, you should always be by their side and try to make him or her normal about everything. You could also try to identify some of the other skills that he or she might be good at.

Encourage them to flourish in the sectors where they feel comfortable. Try to overshadow their disabilities with the positive attitudes and their stronger skills. For example, if your child is good at painting, encourage them to paint more, praise them. Or if he or she is good at sports, let him or her play more often. Such activities will help him or her to overcome the negativities.

How Could You Diagnose Dyslexia?

Diagnosing your kid for dyslexia is not a simple task. The basic reason is almost all the kids face difficulties to read at the beginning. So, there is no definite way to differentiate the average kids and dyslexic kids.

Although, some specific evaluations might be helpful to identify such disorder. Such evaluations consider the reading deficit, hearing deficit and other social and cognitive behaviors.

Although, you need to wait until your kid starts going to pre-school to be sure of these evaluations. If we are thinking about the age, the age of eight should be the ideal assessment time.

If you can see the probable symptoms in your kid, you could ask the school district to evaluate the previous results and the regular class performance. You will see a significant amount of distance between the ideal benchmark and the performance of your child.

Only after judging the intellectual capabilities, regular class performance, homework, and behavior you could come to a conclusion. Although, we suggest you not to take any rash decision and consult a doctor or an expert who has enough medical knowledge.

If by any chance you think that your kid has probable dyslexia, you should consult with the school district and come up with a unique academic plan for your child. You could even try enrolling your son or daughter to a special school where he or she might get better academic help and maintain a proper pace.

Consulting with psychiatrists, neuro-specialists or reading specialists is also a great step. Such actions would help you to pinpoint your child’s condition and set up a proper plan for him or her.

Also, you should adhere to the suggestions of the experts rather making decisions on your own. They are way more qualified to resolve the issue.
You could even share the suggestions of the experts to the school district so that they could take special care of your kid.

When Should The Kid be Evaluated for Dyslexia?

It’s quite common for a kid in first grade to stutter while reading or confuse similar words and letters. You shouldn’t be too worried if your child is too young. But if the same problem persists for years and your child fails to learn reading even in third or fourth grade, you should be worried.

As we have said, the age of eight or the third grade is the ideal time for your child to be evaluated for dyslexia symptoms and dyslexia signs.

But you have to be very delicate with them as your kid might already feel shallow or meek as they are ashamed of themselves. He or she might even feel ashamed to be friends with the other kids.

Dr. Shaywitz, a dyslexia specialist, feels that there is a gap between the cognitive growth and the reading ability of the dyslexic children. The sooner the parents and the teachers act to mitigate this gap, the better it is for the child.

If the gap broadens too wide, it could more be complicated to help the child to overcome dyslexia. But in any situations, you cannot judge your child or pressurize them. That might cause opposite and negative reactions.

Is it Necessary to Do Dyslexia Tests?

The simple answer would be – yes, it is very important to evaluate your child if you think he or she might have dyslexia. The reason is quite obvious, the sooner you detect whether your kid does or doesn’t have dyslexia, the better the chances are of treating them.

Generally, the teachers and the parents are the first people to identify that a kid has dyslexia. Further tests and diagnoses are done later on. Experts and researchers have narrowed down why it is so important to evaluate your kid at the early stages. The reasons are somewhat like these –

Diagnose Early, Treat Early

It is much easier to pinpoint the problem if you can identify the problem much sooner. Not every case of dyslexia is the same. You can cancel out the unnecessary options and go for the much more specific causes that are troubling the child. Moreover, the doctor can analyze the patient better and give proper guidance that would truly help the child.

To Clear Away The Confusion

As we have mentioned earlier, there are more syndromes just like dyslexia but not. For example, it is quite common for parents to be confused between dysgraphia and dyslexia. So, you have to be sure of the exact problem your child is suffering from.

Also, the treatment givers and the parents should know the right way to treat the problematic child. Such kids cannot learn the way other normal children learn. The gradual performance drop might cause pressure on the child. Even the parent could act quite harsh without knowing the fact behind the result drop.

Proper Documentation

The treatment result and process should always be well-documented for further analysis. Such documentation paves the way for better treatment. If you don’t evaluate the child at the early stage, things could be too late to recover. You don’t want yourself to be in that situation.

Considering all the facts, you should act fast and act early. The sooner you evaluate your child, the better their recovery chances become.

How to Evaluate Kids with Dyslexia?

There are a number of things to be considered while you are planning to do an evaluation for dyslexia. For example, one must consider the child’s family history, the IQ of the child, motor skill function, etc.

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

So, let’s take a look at the factors you should always consider during the evaluation –

The Background Check

In a lot of cases, we have seen the child to be dyslexic if he or she has a family history dyslexia as it is genetic. Even the cases of late or delayed speech should be considered. It makes the chances of a child to be dyslexic increase to a great extent. So, one should keep written record of the background of the patient; a form could be of great help in this case.

Moreover, the written documentation should also include the type of education the child received – regular or homeschooling. The academic result should be considered too as well as the homework. The exercise books could be a great source of information.

Oral Abilities Not Intelligence

The older methods of evaluation included intelligence tests. Many still think that the disability to properly read or spell could be the reason behind dyslexia. But recent studies rule out this possibility.

We should keep in mind that dyslexia is a type of reading and speaking disability not any sign of lower intellect. Actually, many dyslexic children are considered to be highly intelligent and creative. So, the intelligence level cannot determine the probability of having dyslexia.

Instead of doing the intelligence tests, as a parent, you should consider looking for the signs of oral disabilities. Try to notice if your child had problems speaking out particular words or frequently making the same spelling mistakes, or writing the letters in any weird way.

If the diagnosing child is slightly old, say is in third or fourth grade, you can check for the class performances and academic results.

Difficulty to Recognizing or Distinguishing Words

One of the most common ways to identify a dyslexic patient is to ask them to read out words. A dyslexic child finds it hard to distinguish between the similar looking words. For example, your kid might be finding it hard to differentiate between the words like “big” and “dig,” or “pink” and “link” etc.

Two things should be taken into account – the accuracy and the time he or she needs to properly identify the words. We are not asking you to ask them to speak the tougher words, just tell them to pronounce simple words.

Decoding Words

Word decoding could be a great way to judge the oral skills of a child. During this test, you will ask the kid to speak out the unfamiliar words with the knowledge of the sound of the letters. If a kid has the slightest knowledge about the syllables and the basic sounds, he or she could pass this “word-attack” challenge. A dyslexic child would find it very hard to identify the proper sound of the words.

Using imaginary words instead of the real words will be a clever trick. For example, you should ask them to pronounce words like “brog” or “nuck.” In this way, you could truly judge their ability to identify the true sound of the letters so that they cannot rely on simple memorizing.

Spelling Similar Words

One of the main complication a dyslexic child face is to spell the words properly. It becomes even harder for them if the letters in the word are too similar. Moreover, the child has to pair up the letters and sounds of them in a word. It seems too hard for them. So, such a spelling test will tell you if your kid is actually suffering from dyslexia or not.

In some senses, you could say that a spelling test is kind of the opposite of decoding words. In this case, you can test your child’s memories – both long and short term.

A lot of experts believe that spelling the most severe form of a problem a dyslexic child faces. Not only it weakens a child’s oral skills but also hurts the writing skills.

Phonology

Phonology simply means the process of creating a sound properly. It is vitally important to speak up the words fluently. Every language of the world is actually made of certain sounds – the correct pattern of sounds make up the languages.

So, what should you do? Simply ask your child to speak out some of the common words and check if he or she is having any difficulty to produce the accurate sounds. It could be a spelling quiz for grade 1 or a spelling quiz for grade 2. However, if your child older, say is in the eighth grade, you can try the same test with a spelling quiz for grade 8.

A normal kid can read or speak out the words fluently without putting much effort. It seems all natural and without too much conscious effort. A troubled child might even find it difficult to recall the actual sound of the words.

Reading Out Comprehensions

This evaluation test is quite easy. Just ask them to read out a passage from a storybook. While your child is reading out the passages, try to look for inconsistency in fluency. There is another thing you should look for if your child is skipping words or not.

You should choose a complicated comprehension with too much grammatical complexity. Rather a simple passage from a children book should be good to go with. Also, you should consult with the teachers of the child. They might give you valuable information regarding the difficulties in reading comprehensions.

A dyslexic child tends to do fine while they are listening to a passage from a book, the problem occurs when they are asked to read it out.

These are the common and the most simplistic forms of evaluations that can help you to identify if your child is facing problems with words. If he or she shows these potential symptoms, you should hurry up and consult with doctors or experts. With proper care, they can still lead a normal and happy life.

How Can The Teachers Help?

The teachers of your child can be your best friend to help your child overcome dyslexia. There is no better way to keep track of your child’s progress other than consulting the teachers.

The teachers know the benchmark every student should pass and how much you could expect from a child of a certain age. They can help you with providing a regular update also help the student overcome the situation with the help of various academic techniques and methods.

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

But remember, the teachers are trained to solve the reading problems for regular kids. If they try too hard to implement the traditional methods, your kid might fell too much pressurized. The last thing you want to do is to pressure your kid. They might crumble down.

Moreover, the teacher could help your kid by providing books that would be suitable for your kid. Some teachers even have professional training to handle such delicate students as dyslexia is now a very common problem around the globe.

The Classroom Doesn’t Have to Be a Prison Cell!

A child with dyslexia in many cases gets afraid of the classrooms. He or she might feel that others are constantly judging them or mocking him or her. The teachers and the peer should be helpful rather than reminding him or her of their disability.

A good way to get rid of this problem could be choosing a specialized school for dyslexic children. A troubled child could be benefitted highly as he or she would the proper care that normal schools will not give them. Still, if the teacher and the students can be friendly, the child will get the proper environment to grow without hesitation.

On the other hand, if a child with dyslexia is constantly being nagged about his or her poor performance, things could get much worse within a short period. A child’s mind is very delicate, and such nasty behavior could lead to probable trauma and anguish.

Moreover, the peer could bully the child or make fun of him or her. The teachers and the school administration should make sure that other kids don’t bully such a poor soul.

Now, we would like to share some of the good practices in the classroom that could help a child to overcome or minimize the effects of dyslexia.

Lighten Up the Classroom

  • Prepare an outline for the lesson of each class – what is going to be taught and how this lesson adds up to the whole syllabus of the complete chapter. At the end of the class, the teacher should also summarize the lesson before the class. This very technique could help to convert the short-term memories into long-term memories.
  • While giving the homework, make the students write it down in their personal notebook. Ask the students to maintain a different notebook for the homework so that it can be reviewed afterward.
  • Ask the students to maintain a study circle, maybe ask them to write down the phone numbers of the fellow study circle. Thus they could maintain a connection with other kids and keep up the pace together like a pack.
  • Try to give the lesson in a written manner. If you use verbal methods, it might seem effective for shorter terms, but students will soon forget the gist of the lessons. On the other hand, writing down the lessons in every class will help them maintain a sequence of the lessons and be helpful for the longer term.
  • Encourage the pupil to make a daily routine and help to maintain it. Organizing behaviors help a person to build up an organized overall life and create a positive attitude towards the life.
  • Before going deeper into the details of the study material, create an impelling introduction that would keep the student’s attention for a longer time. After that, break the materials into shorter lists. In this way, a teacher can connect with the students in a better way.
  • A teacher should not just write on the board and ask the class to copy it down on the notebooks. A dyslexic student might find it hard to copy texts from other sources. Instead, a teacher should prepare premade notes that he or she could hand down to the whole class before each and every lesson.
  • Keep the class motivated and never bore the class with overcomplicated materials. A class should be cheerful as a more joyous scenario builds up the environment for study.

Don’t Make the Blackboard Too Boring!

  • Use multiple colors while writing on the board. The white chalk on the blackboard or the use of a black marker on the whiteboard makes the board look pale and boring. Moreover, the different colors help a student to distinguish between facts and help them to understand the lesson more efficiently.
  • Use spaces! Some teachers tend to write a lot on the board without giving much space between sentences or words. It should be a playground of words (images) and void.
  • Don’t rush! Some students might take a bit more time to copy the materials on the board; if you erase them too quickly, some students might feel pressured.

Reading Out Loud

  • It is a healthy practice to ask the students to read out comprehensions in front of everyone. It breaks the shackle of shyness in the students and boosts their self-confidence. Moreover, this practice can be a great identifier whether a child has a problem reading the texts. A student’s dyslexia symptoms could be identified, and the teacher could notify the parents about it.
  • A teacher should never ask the kids to read comprehension that is beyond the skill of such a young age. The idea is to encourage the kids and develop the skill of public speaking not to make them afraid of it.
  • Don’t push any dyslexic child to read out in front of the class. It’s more likely that he or she will fail to read it out easily. Moreover, he or she might feel ashamed or feel shallow. Rather, a teacher should work one-on-one with such kids.
  • The reading comprehension should not be confined only to the textbooks. Reading passages from storybooks will make the class lively as well as enhance the skill of public speaking and pronunciation at the same.

The Spelling Bee Mock Sessions

  • It can be a great practice to ask the students to spell out words just like in a spelling bee competition. It will help the students to get rid of the fear of spelling words and at the same time make them fond of this great competition.
  • Special care should be given to the dyslexic children, and everyone should help them to get rid of the fear and give them a positive boost. The teacher should keep an eye students and make sure no one is pinching the dyslexic kid.
  • The key to dilute the fear is encouragement and motivation. A teacher has a vital role to play to build up the future of a child. He or she should take charge of making a classroom inspiring and motivating.
  • Gradually, encourage them to participate in spelling tests
  • Introduce a bit of fun by teaching them idioms and their meaning
  • Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!

Math – The Most Feared Subject among the Dyslexics

  • Math is not like English literature or reading out stories. It has different symbols and separate logics that establish connections among the numbers. We have seen examples of dyslexic children to be extraordinarily good at math. But the number is thin. The teacher should clarify the logic of the mathematical symbols very well in the class.
  • A teacher should be patient with the dyslexic child especially while solving mathematical problems. It is just so normal for them to be confused with the numbers and the symbols.
  • Keep the class entertained with smart mathematical tricks. Kids can get fascinated with the simple tricks – it seems like riddles to them, not study!
    Help a dyslexic child to learn the uses of calculators. It is not giving them the privilege; it’s just helping them to cope with the situation.

Don’t Make Homework to Be a Burden

  • It goes without saying that a dyslexic child has to go through a lot each day in the school. They often feel tired or stressed after the school. So, the teacher should be understanding regarding the matter. Rather than giving out loads of homework, such a child should be relieved from the burden of homework.
  • A teacher should only give homework if it is actually needed. You see, a dyslexic child is different than the rest of the peer. A teacher should also have a one on one relationship with such kids and give a different type of homework than the others.
  • If a child still finds it hard to complete the selective homework, both teachers and parents should look into the matter and try to reduce the pressure as much as possible. The more helpful everyone can be to him or her the cozier and motivated the child would feel.

Be the Role Model Your Kid Needs

Being the parent of a dyslexic child can never be an easy task. There should be a lot going on your mind too. Even you could feel stressed handling the situation. So, how should you cope up with the situation?

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

Don’t feel stressed, here are some healthy practices that should keep you going –

Motivate Yourself

If you want to keep your child motivated and inspired, you have to be the source of inspiration. You cannot expect the situation to brighten up if you are feeling gloomy and stressed.

Engage with your child and grow up hobbies or activities together like – having a garden, watching movies together, painting together, etc. Such activities will not only cheer both of you but also make your bonds stronger.

Build Up a Healthy Daily Routine

As we have said earlier, maintaining a daily routine can make you more organized. This is true for you as well as your kid. A routine or organized lifestyle will bring positive changes in your lives. Doing DIY projects with your child might cheer him or her up. 

Be a Friend!

As your child has dyslexia, he or she might find it hard to make friends. Life can be lonely for him or her. If this is the case, you should try to be the friend of your child. Play with them, go to picnics or hiking, see movies together – your child needs friends.

If your child doesn’t have friends, he or she feels dull all the time. Being friendly with him or her can also help them to cope with dyslexia.

Don’t Remind Your Child of Dyslexia Much Often

When parents find out that their child is suffering from dyslexia, they tend to become paranoid. They put so much effort to help the child that it causes the opposite effect. You don’t have to remind every now and then that he or she has dyslexia.

Not only your words but also your behavior could remind them of this fact. Try to act normal and joyous. Otherwise, your child might blame themselves as they could be delicate about the matter.

And finally, you should cherish the moments together. The only way you could win the fight against dyslexia and make your child happy is with love and laughter. Live in the present and cherish your life every moment as you go – enjoy your life!

Higher Education: Is It a Dream or Reality?

Okay, now we will be talking about the serious topic – is it possible for a dyslexic patient to receive higher education in college or university? Well, those of you who are desperately looking for the answer, there is a good news and a bad news. The good news is – yes, your child can join college or university even if he or she has dyslexia. The bad news is – the process is quite tough and lengthy.

In recent years, we have the number of students with learning disabilities soaring which is a great news! The overall process might take a long time. There are just much to work on – passing all the prerequisite tests, selecting the institute, going through the application process, and finally entering the institute.

So, let’s get started with the details, shall we? First of all, as a student with a learning disability, your child should start preparing from the age of sixteen. You should apply to the personnel at the Individual Education Program (IEP) team and start the process as they suggest.

With the help of the IEP committee, you should set the educational planning for your kid and set the parameters of educational transition. In some countries of some states in the USA, such application should be made at the age of fourteen or earlier.

dyslexia | SpellQuiz

The educational planning should be carefully done, and the goals should be chosen wisely as the committee takes these decisions very seriously.
An SAT, ACT, or AP test score might help the chance of getting into college. The IEP committee might ask for additional psychological tests to see if your child is capable enough to join the college or university.

A student with Learning Disability (LD) might find the following programs in the colleges or university –

Structured Literacy Program

This is the premium quality program that would help your child to get the education your child deserves. In this program, your child would get the benefit of one-on-one learning sessions with the teachers and student monitoring facility.

Coordinated Services

This service is neither as structured nor as comprehensive as the previous one. The student can voluntarily participate in the services.

Services

It is the last category of the services an LD can receive. Students seeking minimum accommodation might select this program.

Joining colleges or universities for higher education is a huge step for a kid with dyslexia. You should pay a visit to the institute and check out the campus environment with your kid. Check out if the environment is friendly enough or is there a scope him or her to grow mentally as it will be changing the life of your kid in every possible way.

As we have said, the process may vary from country to country. While this phase, both you and your child have to be strong and motivated. Your child’s behavior should reflect independence and passion. Never lose hope and keep dreaming!

Concluding Words

Dealing with dyslexia can be hectic, but it is not the end of the world. But you are not the only parent in the world who are going through the same unhappy situation. You can check the books, websites, and other helping references that could smooth out the journey as you go.

Homeschooling could also be a great solution to such a situation. You could check out our guide on homeschooling and guide on personalized learning here. There are also a lot of schools dedicated to dyslexic children. Even many regular schools have started dyslexia-friendly initiatives in the past couple of years.

To give further help, many schools and NGOs have dyslexia centers. So, you see, having a child with dyslexia doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the end of the world. Keep loving your child and give him or her all the emotional support you can give.

In such a tough situation, you are the biggest support and best friend of your kid. Show him or her the path of happiness – there is always light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Vocabulary Building for Reading Comprehension

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We’re lucky to live in an age where literacy! The ability to read and write – is regarded as a basic skill that should be taught to every child.  Historically, literacy skills were for a privileged few members of society. Sadly, the general population reliant on word of mouth for all of their information. The ability to communicate using the written word opens our minds to new ideas and ways of life, as well as creating opportunities to share our own ideas with others. But it needs proper vocabulary building.

Reading and writing skills are possibly the greatest tools we have in order to make the most of our lives and reach our full potential.

We are surrounded by resources to help us develop our communication skills, especially vocabulary building. 

Despite the modern emphasis on literacy, children, and adults the world over do continue to struggle with reading and writing.

Yes, the harsh reality of life!

To fully understand the meaning of a text isn’t as easy as it sounds.

It’s easy for parents to forget that literacy is not an automatic skill which children will naturally develop by themselves. Instead, it’s a highly complicated process which needs support and targeted instruction, both at home and school.

1st-grade reading comprehension introduces a whole new world of communication challenges to children, and they will continue to develop these skills reading until adulthood.

The Science Behind Vocabulary Building for Reading Comprehension

A student’s vocabulary has an enormous impact on their reading comprehension level.

Apparently, if you have never seen a certain word before, you don’t automatically understand what it means. Therefore you may not comprehend that particular word’s meaning in the text.

That isn’t the whole story, though.

When reading, your brain is using two processes at the same time –

  • Word Identification
  • Comprehension

The more time and attention that you need to spend on word identification, the less energy your brain has left to try and decipher the meaning of the word and the overall text.

vocabulary building

Automatic word recognition occurs when a student is already familiar with a piece of vocabulary and can identify it immediately upon seeing it.

Decoding systems like phonics and phonemic awareness play a huge role in the initial stages of reading training. However, students who rely on these techniques as time goes on, generally fail to achieve the fluency required to be a really successful reader. In this case, kids can benefit from inventive spelling. But why is inventive spelling important?

There are plenty of studies which shows that automatic word recognition plays a significant role. A student’s ability to comprehend a text they are reading will get a massive boost.

Even mild word recognition deficiencies can reduce reading speed and take attention away from the text meaning.

This can result in confusion and frustration!

Why?

They may need to re-read the passage to try and comprehend the meaning on a second attempt.

Automatic word identification has a direct link to the size of a student’s vocabulary.

Test your vocabulary to devise a well-curated study plan. 

Research suggests that the number of words a student knows is the most accurate way to predict how well they can understand a text.

The Importance of Context for Vocabulary Building

One essential tool for vocabulary building is to use context clues.

If a sentence has one word unfamiliar to the student, they can often guess the meaning based on the surrounding words.

For example, in a sentence such as:

The boy pedaled his bike faster and faster; he was in such a hurry!

A reader with no prior knowledge of the word ‘pedaled,’ might guess that it is something to do with how you ride a bike. It can trigger solely considering the clues from other words in the sentence.

vocabulary building

Studies have found that teaching vocabulary items in isolation, rather than in context, doesn’t help them to comprehend a text using those words.

In order to fully understand a word, a student has to be exposed to its usage in the context of other words.

At SpellQuiz, vocabulary is always presented in the context of a sentence. Thus, students can understand the meaning of words as just like normal everyday language.

Our students gain the skills to think about the vocabulary given and autonomously use context clues in order to identify the meaning of a word.

Reading Comprehension: One Skill Amongst Many

Reading and spelling ability tend to go hand in hand.

In fact, every literacy skill is interlinked.

All of them contribute and develop together as a holistic system.

vocabulary building

Boosting your spelling skills, for example, will have a positive effect on reading fluency and comprehension, and vice versa.

Reading comprehension is directly influenced by vocabulary size, and spelling is one of the most useful tools to enhance automatic word recognition for reading fluency and comprehension.

Moreover, try these spelling tests to master English spelling!

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on SpellQuiz today! It introduces a brand new way of practicing for the spelling bee competition. 

How SpellQuiz Can Help with Vocabulary Building?

Gradual Learning is the Key

The SpellQuiz unique learning system is specifically designed to build a student’s vocabulary at a steady yet achievable pace.

Grade by grade different spelling lessons should match existing school requirements for literacy and vocabulary level.

That’s exactly what you can find in SpellQuiz!

For example, a 5th-grader can work up all the way from the most basic level exercises, building up vocabulary until he or she excels 5th-grade reading comprehension.

At SpellQuiz, we sequence our exercises so that each new sentence carries a new word for the student to learn.

Cramming Up Words Never Help

Too often, students are given long lists of seemingly random words to memorize. However, this is overwhelming for students and ultimately leads to discouragement.

Instead, we use a rate of one new word per sentence as this rate of vocabulary acquisition doesn’t overload students. We aim to give them a manageable chunk of information which can be integrated quickly into their existing vocabulary.

Consistency Brings success

Consistency is key when it comes to learning!

We practice that by introducing vocabulary not in fits and starts, but rather at a steady, regular pace.

vocabulary building

According to a 1985 experiment, students did not fully grasp if they witnessed words only 4 times. But they understood and knew words seeing more than 12 times.

So, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most commonly seen words in the English language. 

Our graded system exposes students to words many times in different contexts, as they gradually complete the quizzes, ensuring that they assimilate vocabulary in a natural way for complete understanding.

Keeping Track Records

Our reporting system monitors progress and builds up a confirmed vocabulary number for each student.

How do we do it?

We identify the words your child is struggling with, allowing for extra practice to completely learn those vocabulary items.

Once your child is familiar with a word and able to spell it correctly on a consistent basis, it is categorized as a ‘mastered word.’

You and your child can watch the number go up every time you try a new exercise, keeping track of your learning and increasing motivation. It also boosts up emotional intelligence

Some people like to turn this into a game, competing with students across the world, using our Global Rank tool to see who can achieve the largest mastered vocabulary.

How To Spell Words? Mastering the Craft!

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How to spell words is one of the basic problems that most students struggle with!

Most of the students do not see a problem when it comes to the pronunciation of words. Actually, they can easily tell you even of the most difficult vocabulary.

However, the problems come in when it comes to the spelling of those words.

Most of the students find it a challenge pronouncing certain words in English. This issue impacts their learning as they are not able to learn faster the content of their studies and therefore to waste more time.

Students who learn how to spell words correctly, most of the time find learning easy, and they catch up with things faster.

Wastage of time to learn the spelling of hard words do cost most students a great deal. However, there are some of the kids who are leading thinkers but slow in spelling.

The History of English Spelling Words

The spelling of words is the ability to state the letters that constitute a particular word. The writing came up in the 7th century, and they used the Roman alphabets, later on, St Augustine brought church Latin.

Since then spelling and language have been changing over time. Since then people tried really hard to spell words without mistakes.

spell words

The spelling system used currently dates back to 1400 where a poet by the name Chaucer pioneered it. The history of spelling in English examines the stages of the levels that it has gone through to where it is today.

What Makes Spelling so Difficult for Some Kids?

It takes them much energy and time, and this can result in low self-esteem for learners. They are often too afraid of spelling tests.

Complex Pronunciation

Most of the English words that bring spelling challenges to students are words that contain phonemes that use less graphene mapping.

Some of the factors that determine the difficulty in pronunciation of certain words include lower frequency words.

When you come across a nutshell every day, you get used to it. You can quickly master its spelling, but there are those specific words that are rarely used in our conversation. Therefore getting to know the spelling becomes a challenge.

Words Originating from Different Language

Another factor is the name origin. The English language has the tendency to allow foreign words into it.

spell words

The foreign words are usually hard to spell because it has a different source and therefore even the pronunciation is different.

Silent Letters are Silent Killers!

Words with silent letters also bring a challenge when it comes to spelling.

How do you know how to spell a word?

You know how to spell a word by first pronouncing the word, then from there is when you can go deep and spell each letter.

The words that have silent letters brings difficulty when it comes to spelling them. Because the silent letter is not pronounced and therefore there is the tendency of leaving the note behind.

Longer Words are Always a Problem

Some of the words are long, very long!

Therefore they contain more characters. So when it comes to their pronunciation, an individual has to spell a long sequence of letters and it is through this that chances of making an error high.

It is not difficult to master how to spell a word that is short because one can quickly learn the letters.

Not Everyone Learns at a Constant Pace

Individual differences may also contribute to how one spells a word.

Some people do not find any difficulty in pronouncing certain words because they encounter it in their day to day studies.

But there are those that find it difficult because their education does not contain such terms and therefore it comes as a new word to them.

Tips to Master Spell Words 

There are several tips on mastering how to spell words easily in English. You can visit lifehack to get more tips.

Identify the Words You Often Misspell

One is by creating your challenge in the construction of sentences and writing them. Identify the words that usually challenge you when it comes to their spelling.

spell words

After that, you can sit and construct sentences using those words so that you become used to their spellings.

The practice will increase your frequency of encounter with these words, and you will be able to find their spelling easy.

Dictations Help, A Lot!

Another way in which you can quickly know how to spell a word is by use of dictation. At SpelQuiz, you can find dictation for adults, as well as, dictation for class 2

You can assign your friend the task of dictating to you English words that you find difficult to spell as you write them.

By dictation, you will be able to gain confidence, and you will learn the spelling of the words slowly. After misspelling those words, you can always repeat them again until it becomes part of you.

Spelling Bee Mock-Ups

In schools, students can come up with a competition on how to spell words in English and those who score highly should be awarded.

Think of it as a mini Spelling Bee with your friends.

Now you can take part in Spelling Bee online too and make new friends! Check out the SBO section on SpellQuiz today! This online game help you with simple 3rd grade spelling bee words to 12th grade spelling bee words

Two groups should be formed, and it becomes group A against group B. Then there should be a person to pose the questions to the two groups so that they compete and every right word spelled should earn the team some points.

It will be the work of the person in charge to pronounce those words to the groups, and the students should be in a position to spell the phrase.

After the exercise, the two teams should be rank and the best team awarded. Then correction has to be highlighted so that the students learn where they made mistakes.

Listening, Speaking, Spelling!

Another skill of mastering spelling of words is by spelling the phrase aloud. It would enhance the listening skill of the kids as well.  

When you spell a word aloud, your ears get used to hearing the word, and therefore it ends up being part of you.

spell words

By spelling words aloud you can also be able to detect errors made. Because they will automatically not sound correct and you will realize your mistake.

A Better Reading Culture

Developing a healthy reading culture also contributes to the spelling of English words correctly.

When you develop a reading culture, you will come to many terms and vocabularies. By doing so every time you will be able to master the spelling of those words, and it will improve your grammar.

Try this vocabulary check tool tester to understand your current skill level!

Final Words

In conclusion, it is clear that there are a lot of challenges encountered in how to spell words in English. But you can overcome all these problems by mastering some skills and practicing the spelling of those words.

For more information on how you can improve your spelling, you can visit SpellQuiz.com

 

How to Spell: 6 Key Benefits of Online Learning

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A master of spelling is a master of communication. Without the ability to freely and flawlessly express yourself, in spoken and written words, life can be tough! Many adults today find it hard expressing themselves in simple and clearly understandable manner because of lack of ability to spell words correctly. Words are the building blocks of written and spoken communication. People need to know how to spell for them to communicate effectively.

In the classroom, kids who lack spelling ability face difficulties in coping with learning. For such kids, competitive learning is a challenge, and they are always afraid of asking questions for fear of revealing their shortcomings in spelling.

Spelling matters!

Knowing how to spell correctly goes with important things in life.

Anyone would forgive you, if on social media, for using abbreviations like “hw r u 2day? Or Av a gr8 day”, but the same is not acceptable in a professional environment for official communication.

Many adults still struggle with standard spelling for adults spelling in their official lives. Let alone the much harder adult spelling bee words

Why Do People Struggle with Standard Spelling?

Unfortunately, in all literacy skill-building activities, how to spell is the least taught.

But, it remains the most relentlessly tested of all in our everyday life. Good news is anyone can now learn how to spell the easy way and master one of the most crucial skills in literacy.

how to spell

The crux of this article is discussing the benefits of online learning to catch your kids young in learning how to spell.

Moreover, try these spelling tests to master English spelling!

Below are six benefits of using online learning system to teach your kids how to spell the easy way

6 Key Benefits of Online Learning Regarding How to Spell

1. Self Learning is More Interesting and More Fun!

Online learning systems are designed to attract children to study. It makes use of interactive learning tools, like games, to get kids to go along with whatever being taught.

Let me use SpellQuiz phonetics learning system as an example.

The program reads out a sentence to the user and requires them to listen and then write out what was read. It goes ahead to tell them how many words they have spelled correctly and the incorrect ones and then scores them over hundred.

So, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most commonly seen words in the English language. So, sight words practice can be very beneficial. 

Moreover, The NATO Phonetics alphabet should help you deal with tricky situations.

It challenges the learner to brace up and as humans, we want to score higher and by so doing we give it our focus because success motivates us.

2. Motivation Plays a Big Role

Using online learning tool helps to develop the motivator in your kid. It cements a connection between their goal and learning.

Because online learning systems are designed to show progress, it encourages learners by rewarding their efforts with seeing instant progress.

how to spell

Moreover, it causes them to put in more efforts into their education.

3. Self-Paced Learning

Kids are at liberty to choose their timetable for learning. The system allows learners to pause and continue where they stopped.

Thus it presents an atmosphere of freedom, an essential element in every man’s journey to a successful life.

4. More Practice = Better Familiarity with Words

The way we read is not by reading the whole word, but by the word’s sounds.

Furthermore, phonetics help to cement words sounds in learners’ minds, allowing them to read fluently by calling out the sounds of the words.

Online learning system takes guessing out of learning as it reads out the words first, while the user writes it out the dictation.

5. Instant Correction Means Instant Learning!

Unlike in a normal world where corrections to errors are sometimes postponed or forgotten, online learning has a powerful inbuilt spellchecker that presents instant correction allowing learners to complete the learning process instantly.

It avails your kids the opportunity to have the right answer to the mistakes made, instantly. 

6. More Fluency in Reading and Writing

Phonetics, as taught by online learning systems, use short pieces of text. The method helps learners come up with ideas for essay and stories.

how to spell

It also etches the words in kids’ minds with accurate pronunciations and tests their ability to spell the expression correctly.

No doubts, it promotes the capacity to read and write fluently, making them good communicators.

Where Can You Get Help?

Online learning system such as SpellQuiz phonetics learning will not only teach your kids how to spell; they will also learn the use of grammar as they use the system.

The system is above common mistakes of accepting sound-alike words as a substitute like in the example: “dose” for “does” where the word in the dictation is “does.”

Let’s not forget about the costs of learning how to spell!

While the traditional school system requires so much to teach your kids how to spell, the online system only takes a fraction of what you spend on transportation to the classroom in the traditional education system.

Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

So the final decision is up to you!

For spelling practice and spelling tests, you may sign up for a free trial for SpellQuiz phonetics learning system today and secure their future as better communicators tomorrow.

Now you can take part in Spelling Bee online too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!

How to Teach Spelling without Making Things Boring?

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Spelling is so often dismissed as a boring topic which can only be taught via tests and repetitive rote exercises. This misconception has resulted in thousands of children giving up on learning how to spell, when in reality the world of spelling can be a lot of fun. There is a huge range of techniques and activities you can use at home or in the classroom on how to teach spelling in a fun way.

In fact, they’ll probably be having so much fun that they won’t even realize that they’re learning.

Fear is the Worst Enemy

Often, kids start to feel discouraged and even ashamed if they repeatedly have to cross out their answers. If they see the dreaded ‘red pen’ where the teacher has made corrections, the same thing can happen.

A blank page can be intimidating even to the most advanced of writers, and there’s a distinct permanence to the act of writing a word on paper.

When a mistake is made, your child is forced to erase or even cross it out. Remove this daunting aspect from writing and you may find that kids lose their inhibitions and become more willing to risk making mistakes.

how to teach spelling

Incorporating some modern spelling activities can be quite a miracle to some kids. Unlike traditional writing-based learning, it can open the door to new opportunities.

Kids can try experimenting with letters, without the paralyzing fear of making mistakes. The simple 2nd grade vocabulary words or 3rd grade vocabulary words could bring good results. 

How to Teach Spelling Kids: The Smart Ways

Let’s have a look at some methods which help to add some excitement to spelling activities for kids.

Letter Shapes and Blocks

Some kids have just decided that they don’t like writing, whether it be due to a spelling issue or anything else.

Try removing pen and paper from the equation!

You can buy plenty of letter shapes in the form of magnets, wooden letters, or painted blocks. If you don’t have the budget for that, just print out some letter flashcards, or better yet get the kids to make their own. It would be a fun DIY project.

These can be used for games based on dictation where you ask them to spell a certain word and they arrange the shapes in the correct order.

If there are multiple children present, form them into teams and see who can construct the words the fastest.

So, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most commonly seen words in the English language. This practice will also be good if you’re looking for ways to teach 2nd grade spelling words or 3rd grade spelling words. 

how to teach spelling

If you’re doing it one-to-one, use a stopwatch to time the student and see how proud they become as they get quicker. 

There are infinite ways to adapt letter shapes and keep learning fresh.

The shapes give struggling students a visual cue by showing them several possible answers, giving a ‘multiple choice’ aspect to the exercise.

Start with only a few letters and gradually add more for a bigger challenge.

When the child makes a mistake, it’s no big deal, they simply exchange the shape for another one – no erasing or crossing out necessary.

Board and Paper Games

Language games have long been popular among adults and children alike. You can also try introducing some fun quizzes

Board games like Scrabble and Boggle are great tools to develop an awareness of spelling as well as vocabulary building and cognitive skills like language plasticity.

Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

If these are too advanced for your child, they often have kids versions like Scrabble Junior. Better yet, make a board game yourself to cater to your child’s individual needs.

Draw up a board for ‘snakes and ladders’ where they have to spell a certain word if they land an on a given square.

This allows you to choose specific words that you know your child is having trouble remembering.

Try a dice game where roll the dice and then choose a word with the same number of letters to spell.

For example, if you roll a 4 on the die, you have to spell a word with 4 letters. Add visual or auditory cues as provided, so that students of any level can play.

how to teach spelling

Hangman is a fantastic spelling based game which children have played among themselves for decades. If they’re doing it already, why not use it to your spelling advantage?

But how to teach spelling words with Hangman?

It’s simple!

To play, one player secretly chooses a word and shows their opponent how many letters it contains. The second player then has to guess letter-by-letter what the word might be. As they accumulate more guesses, the word should become clear. But they have to do it within a certain number of guesses to win.  

Puzzles

Do you know how to teach spelling without making things boring?

The answer is – Puzzles!

Some kids’ brains are wired to work on and solve puzzles. This not only develops their critical thinking ability but can be used for practice spelling, too. 

For example, a Wordsearch forces your child to pay careful attention to the letters in a given word, and also to the letter order.

As they search for the word in a grid of random letters they may need to keep referring back to the spelling to make sure they get the correct answer. 

Wordsearches are also great for letter recognition. It’s one of the basic foundation blocks needed in order to read and write.

Crosswords are another good puzzle for kids’ spelling practice. Clues are presented for the child to discover what word they have to spell.

They then have to fit that word into the correct number of squares, guiding them to the right word length. If they need extra help, encourage them to solve the puzzle by looking up the word.

Read More: 10 Spelling Tricks to Solve the Tricky Spelling Issues!

Computer-Based Learning

As we enter the technology age, kids are increasingly attracted to computers and mobile devices.

Why not boost your child’s education by adding computer-based learning?

It might just answer your questions regarding how to teach spelling to kids.

Kids love the chance to use technology. So they’re likely to jump at the chance to play video games or do quizzes online. Eventually, they will love partaking in spelling activities online

You don’t have to tell them it’s educational!

how to teach spelling

There are countless resources for interactive multimedia online.  Websites like SpellQuiz engage children in spelling by handing them power over their own learning.

Kids often feel at the mercy of teachers and adults who decided what they will learn and how they will learn it. 

SpellQuiz not only provides your child with materials like spelling practice sessions but helps them to develop their own learning autonomy and motivation.

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! It’s a great way to promote competitiveness in your child. 

Spelling doesn’t have to be limited to just writing out words; incorporate games, sensory activities and physical movement into your repertoire to fully engross your child in literacy. One-to-one activities or games among a group can combine education with fun both at home and in the classroom.

English as Second Language – What Benefits Can You Expect?

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We live in a world which is particularly dynamic and it becomes more and more challenging by the minute. It’s important to keep up with what’s under the daylight if you want to stay relevant and afloat. The society that we have to cope with is particularly multi-cultural and diverse.

People from all nations, religions, ethnicities and different cultural groups come together, bound by one thing which gathers them all – language. And, there is no other language which is as popular and vastly spread as English. Being able to speak and understand English as Second Language is a tremendous advantage.

Being born in a non-English speaking country is even sometimes considered as a certain drawback, which I will not agree personally.

However, if you want to make it in the current world, it’s completely out of the question that you should be able to speak and understand English perfectly.

Of course, regular comprehension might also suffice, but if you truly want to shine and stand out, you should be perfectly literate.

English as Second Language – Things to Consider

Of course, there are quite a few things that you might want to consider if you are to start studying English as second language.

Right off the bat, you shouldn’t be overly worried about it – there is nothing complicated about learning a language. English is not a hard language to study.

In fact, it’s pretty simple.

English as second language

The grammar is pretty straightforward, and the semantics are easy to catch up.

This article will help you know more about ESL, be sure to check it out. 

While there are quite a lot of accents in English, the main ones are also fairly simplified – American and British English.

What’s the Best Way to Start Learning English?

Well, to be completely honest, everyone learns in his separate way.

However, if there is one thing which allows everyone to advance equally, that’s probably if you learn English as second language online. 

There are different key things which have to be considered here, but that’s usually handled by the language school which is tutoring.

What are the Benefits of Learning English as Second Language?

The benefits are numerous. English is going to open new doors and brand new horizons for you.

It’s impossible to encompass all of the advantages, but let’s have a comprehensive look.

The Voice of Global Citizens

You will be capable of communicating with billions of individuals throughout the entire world.

You won’t have to worry about not being able to travel somewhere because of the language barrier. It’s true that not every country has people who speak English. However, this is far more possible than any other language in the world.

Showcasing Professionalism

Knowing and being able to talk English freely is going to open quite a few doors for you in terms of professional realization.

Why do you think the wealthiest and most influential people in the world all know English?

Because it’s paramount!

English as second language

It’s worthwhile, and it’s something that you just can’t afford to go without.

Knowing English as second language is going to help you get that promotion at work that you’ve been fighting so hard for.

What is more?

It’s going to start pushing you in front of your colleagues who don’t know it, and it’s definitely going to provide you with the upper hand.

That’s the biggest benefit of English.

Regardless of where you are from, English is going to provide you with that multinational literacy. It is going to help people perceive you better and in a way which is far more comprehensive.

Higher Approval

Knowing English automatically makes you acceptable.

Whether this is wrong or right is irrelevant – it’s just the way the world works!

The language has become an international criterion for acceptance, and if you manage to pass it, you are good to go.

Failing at it, however, is not getting you anywhere further.

Keeping Up with the Global Trend

While it’s true that there are huge countries with billions of people of the population such as China and India, where the native languages are also broadly spoken, English is global.

Even in those countries, kids are studying English as second language mandatorily from the first grades of school. This is indicative of the importance of this language.

English as second language

As you can see for yourself, there are numerous advantages which stem from learning English. Now, we said that learning English as second language online is particularly convenient and incredibly beneficial. That’s true because of a few different things.

How Studying Online Can Solve Problems Regarding ESL? 

Right off the bat, online studying allows you to study at your pace.

It doesn’t take a whole lot of your time because in the majority of cases you will be capable of making your own schedule. This is something that you want to take into account.

At the same time, you should also account for the fact that you will be at home. This takes away long hours of driving and commuting around town, which could truly be a burden.

Of course, there are a lot of challenges as well.

Studying at home requires a tremendous deal of determination and motivation, and it’s not something that you should take lightly. And, if you prefer going for homeschooling, this comprehensive guide on homeschooling resources should come in handy. 

In fact, it’s something that you should be very careful about because if you fail at it, the entire endeavor is going to come crashing down.

English as second language

On the other hand, it could also be the best way of learning English as second language. It’s a way to study in a manner that you are entirely comfortable with.

All that you need to do is to channel your sources of concentration and motivate yourself not to get distracted.

Final Thoughts

Understanding and being able to communicate in English is plainly quintessential.

There are no two opinions about this!

It’s just a matter of time for people to start integrating this as a general criterion for different requirements. This is the main reason for which you shouldn’t waste your time and start learning it if you haven’t already.

The more you postpone it, the worse it becomes.

As we grow older, learning new languages is definitely not as easy as you think. You can take a look at SpellQuiz website and get started. It has the richest quizzes collection on spelling lesson. You can also try having fun with Spelling Bee online game. 

The History of Spelling Practice, Methods, and Tests

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Just hearing the words spelling test can cause students to groan in despair. Yet spelling test is a hugely valuable learning tool that doesn’t have to be a chore, students are often afraid of spelling practice!

Literacy skills are interrelated, with reading, spelling, and writing all influencing each other.

If one is aspect neglected, then all of them suffer.

Teaching methods for literacy have changed over the decades, with the emphasis shifting between the different skills and spelling practice.

The most prominent type of spelling test in the modern day is probably the Spelling Bee.

It not only receives national television coverage in the U.S. but also supports a huge industry offering scholarships and cash prizes to competition winners.

Spelling bee tournaments show the glamorous side of spelling. Check out this article from a Spelling Bee champion himself.

But for most students, spelling tests can be a real struggle.

How Can Parents Help the Kids with Better Spelling Practice?

The first step is to find out what’s really going on in our schools. It is essential to how teachers teach spelling and what educators suggest for better spelling practice.

So let’s take a look at the methods and history of teaching and testing spelling.

spelling practice

Let’s hope that you can make an informed decision about your child’s needs.

Types of Spelling Tests

There are four main types of a spelling test, each of which focuses on a different skill:

Oral tests

Students are given the word by the teacher to spell out loud.

It is the format we’ve seen in spelling bee competitions and requires students to spell each word individually, often in front of an audience.

This puts a lot of pressure on spellers, especially on those who lack confidence, as mistakes are very public.

Aural tests

Students listen to the teacher read a word, and then write it down.

Typically, the teacher will just read a list of individual words that a student has to spell. Although, they may also choose a read a dictation test passage to include full sentences and punctuation in the test.

Proofreading tests

Students are given a written text to read, with mistakes in spelling.

As they read the passage, students try to correct any spelling mistakes they find.

Proofreading tests aim to present learners with language in context.

It often relies on the passive acquisition of spelling skills, focusing on reading ability rather than direct spelling techniques.

Multiple-choice tests

Several alternative spelling options are presented for a word, with students made to choose the correct one.

These tests are often based on a reading text and can be useful to check the knowledge of homophones.

Sometimes, students choose the right spelling of two words that are pronounced the same way but differ in spelling and meaning.

spelling practice

Nevertheless, they don’t require a student to apply spelling practice actively. The methods tend to focus more on reading, with only an indirect spelling component.

Development of Spelling Practice and Tests Over Time

Literacy education for the masses is a relatively new development in human civilization, with only about a century or two of history.

Despite this short time span, approaches to teaching reading and writing have changed significantly over the years.

Just like any other industry, schooling is subject to fashions that come and go.

Methods for spelling practice are no exception!

Parents and educators start to question modern theories and turning back to traditional approaches.

Let’s have a brief look at the development of spelling practice over the last hundred and fifty years:

Memorization and Rote Lists

Much of the formal spelling education in the 1800s and early 1900s was taken from spelling books. Typically, they contained lists of words for students to memorize.

One of the first and most influential books for teaching spelling was the “Blue-backed Speller.”

It is a masterpiece by Noah Webster, author of the classic Webster’s Dictionary.

Such texts aimed to teach pronunciation, grammar, and reading as well as spelling.

spelling practice

The major drawback was that the presented vocabulary wasn’t graded or tailored to different reading levels.

So, the beginners faced high-level and complex vocabulary even before they could master the basics. For example, a child should only be exposed to 8th grade vocabulary words after successful completion of 7th grade vocabulary words

Noah arranged words in seemingly random lists or listed in alphabetical order. However, it didn’t regard a student’s prior learning.

Learners had to memorize words by rote!

Also,  they had to fulfill the demanding task of learning grammar, meaning and concepts at the same time as trying to memorize spellings.

Lists Arranged by Word Frequency

Webster continued to revise his spelling books and eventually came to arrange his lists by frequency of use and spelling patterns.

However, it wasn’t until the 1930s that educators arranged words by difficulty and learning level. 

The trend of arranging words in order of the frequency of use became more popular. 

But why?

Now, students were able to develop their spelling ability for core vocabulary items. Before, they learned obscure and complicated words that they would hardly recognize let alone apply in their daily lives.

So, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most commonly seen words in the English language. Then, they should gradually be introduced to adult vocabulary words

Changing Trends in Spelling Practice: The Revolution Had Started! 

Up until this point, students simply learned spelling patterns by writing, repetitive re-writing, and rote memorization of vocabulary.

Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

However, that changed as new theories emerged about the best way to learn how to spell a word.

To meet the individual needs of each child, teachers asked students to create their own notebooks to record words.

Another approach was to ask students to write words exactly three times.

So that they can create a visual memory of the letter forms and overall “shape” of the word.

spelling practice

It was found that any more than three repetitions at a time for each word was actually discouraging for students and counterproductive to learning.

It was during this era that the famous “look, say, cover, write, check” study method was invented.  

There are a few variations of this technique, but the basic procedure is that students

  • First, look at the word,
  • Say the word aloud,
  • Cover it with their hand or a piece of paper,
  • Spell the word verbally,
  • Write it, and
  • Finally, uncover it to check whether spelled it correctly.

A New Way of Testing

Around the 1950s-60s, educators started to question traditional testing methods. Mainly because students had to memorize up to 50 new words per week for a quiz.

It was suggested that students should take more control of their own learning. The idea was to give them a balance of old and new words for them to practice per week.

Thus was born the “test-teach-test” approach.

In this method, students took a test on Monday.

For example, then given time during the week to practice the material, and tested again on the same material on Friday.

This allows students to recognize their existing knowledge and focus only on the areas in which they made mistakes. Also, it provided encouragement as students can clearly see their progress from week to week.

Researchers discovered that the best results were produced by several short practice sessions between tests, rather than one long lesson.

Recognizing Patterns in Language

These days, it seems obvious that we can observe phonemic patterns in English whereby the pronunciation and spelling of words are related.

For example, we can look at the letter “a” and recognize both its associated sound as well as its visual shape.

While there were some early proponents of a phonemic approach for teaching in the 19th century, other educators didn’t think it should be taught at all.

spelling practice

A 1984 U.S. National Academy of Education report found that using such a system, dubbed phonics, improved students ability to identify words.

Although mainly intended to teach reading, students were now instructed to “sound it out!” in case they were unsure.

Phonics can be used to teach words (and letters) in isolation but also allows for the use of context and longer texts.

An Integrative System: Looking at Language in Context

From the 1980s until the current day, a new approach to literacy education has become influential. Finally, we actually got an approach that dispenses with formal spelling practice altogether.

According to this integrative system, spelling, reading, grammar, and punctuation shouldn’t be taught as separate functions

In fact, it shouldn’t be acknowledged at all.

Instead, they should be assimilated into texts which present the information in a natural way. So that students can “absorb” these literacy skills through exposure rather than explicit instruction or study.

This theory purports that learning to spell should come from a rich engagement with language in use, with only some guidance from a teacher.

Dispensing with standard written and oral spelling tests, students are instead given texts to proofread.

Unfortunately, research has found that proofreading is extremely difficult for students. Especially, if they lack a solid spelling foundation on which to build their proofreading skills.

spelling practice

Teachers also present “authentic” vocabulary relevant to the content of other subjects. Thus, the motto, “learning in context” became the ideal way to learn.

Many of these vocabulary items are low-frequency. However, a study suggests that the historic focus on high-frequency words may be more useful in the long term.

It’s true that familiarizing themselves with words in context provides students with a good framework to identify words.

However, they often forget this information without the addition of directed instruction.

Bringing Back Traditional Methods

After three decades of integrative systems which seek to omit spelling from school curriculums, teachers and parents are starting to notice that children simply can’t spell.

California has been among the world leaders of integrative literacy education, even going so far as to ban spelling books from the required textbook list in 1987.

But just seven years later, in 1994, the state’s literacy proficiency scores had dropped to become one of the worst in the U.S.

Although the integrative system claims that the traditional use of spelling books “just doesn’t work,” research suggests that old-fashioned spelling work may actually be more effective than modern scholars give it credit for.

spelling practice

A 2010 report by the Carnegie Foundation found that direct spelling instruction improves reading ability.

Spelling educator and author J. Richard Gentry Ph.D. suggests that parents and teachers go “back to basics” and bring clear spelling instruction and testing back into mainstream education.

What SpellQuiz Has Learned from a Century of Spelling Education

Educational theories often seem to gravitate to extremes, but the most effective way to teach and test spelling is surely a combination of various methodologies.

Rather than allowing teachers to use only one approach, the ideal spelling education must surely combine a mixup of everything.

To develop well-rounded, literate children and adults, it can only make sense to capitalize on every aspect of spelling and its related skills.

At SpellQuiz, we recognize the role of context in natural language forms for word identification through spelling exercise. But we don’t neglect phonics or basic repetition.

The more times a student practice to spell a word, the more likely they remember it, and spelling success relies on the high-frequency input to build a strong foundation for later challenges.

Many of the problems related to traditional testing methods arise from inappropriate vocabulary choice, with low-frequency, difficult words chosen where a thorough grounding in more basic words would actually produce far better results.

Researchers have found that when students practice with words of an appropriate level, their learning success improves significantly.

The SpellQuiz system of dividing words between grade-level standards provides the perfect framework for students to stop stressing and love learning to spell.

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!

How to Use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet in Your Daily Life?

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Have you ever heard characters in WWII films saying things like alpha company or people in Vietnam War movies referring to the Vietcong as Charlie? Then you’re already familiar with the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

You’ve probably heard this code being used in war movies,  on TV cop shows or even in video games like Call of Duty.

Did you know that civilians can use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet in their everyday lives?

The system arose in a military context, but there’s no reason it has to stay the hands of specialists exclusively.

Have a look at our previous article for full background on the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

But now let’s take the code words into the world of civilians and examine the many ways we can use it on a daily basis.

Teaching Children to Read and Write Using Phonetic Alphabet 

A military code may not seem like the most accessible way for children to learn how to read and write.

However, the NATO Phonetic Alphabet can actually benefit your children in a few ways. Even can ensure better scores in the exams! Especially, kids who are just entering middle school should be aware of the NATO phonetic words even before starting the dictation for class 5 practices. 

The code words are acrophonic. It means that the name of each letter also begins with that letter.

For example, the code word “Alpha” stands for the letter A, and it also starts with the letter A. The word “Bravo” then beings with the letter B and so on.

Some languages have acrophonic alphabets, such as Greek, which includes letter names like “alpha,” “beta,” “delta” and “gamma.”

Unfortunately, English doesn’t use this system. 

phonetic alphabet

In fact, many of the letter names sound extremely similar. Just look for example at these ones: b, c, d, e, g, p, t, v, z.

All of those letters have names that sound almost identical!

This can present a real challenge to those who are trying to master the English alphabet for the first time.

Children can also find it tricky to distinguish the letter name from the phoneme (sound).

If you show them the letter A, for example, they may be unsure whether to call it “ay” or “a” as in “apple”.

How Can the NATO Phonetic Alphabet Help?

Using acrophonic codewords can be used for phoneme reinforcement. It can even strengthen the mental connection between a letter’s name and its sound.

Many teachers and parents already teach systems like A is for apple, B is for ball, and so on.

But using code words can really add some fun to reading and writing practice.

Children learn through play, and using games based on codewords is sure to engage kids in phoneme identification.

phonetic alphabet

Why not do dictation exercises where you read out code words, in order for them to discover a hidden message?

For example, use a dictation such as “Romeo Echo Alpha Delta India November Gold, India Sierra, Foxtrot Uniform November

Now, have the children write down the letters to find their hidden meaning.

Can you imagine the joy of the children when they find the answer – Read English?!

Children could then design their own messages to communicate with each other. They would be strengthening their reading ability without even realizing it!

Communicating Internationally

The world is getting smaller and smaller. 

Now, globalization is making it not only possible but also essential for many people to communicate across borders and even across languages.

Worldwide trade and telecommunications mean that people are doing business with partners in different countries. They often need to communicate in a second language.

Call center staff might conduct marketing or customer service to people hundreds of miles away.

English has filled the role of the dominant international language. But it’s easy for communications breakdowns to occur, especially with different regional accents involved and a lack of visual cues over the phone.

Using a standardized code such as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet can help people to avoid miscommunications.

Spelling out a message or trying to record somebody’s personal information would be much simpler.

Clear Communication over the Phone

How often do you order a take-out dinner over the phone?

Most people have ordered a pizza to be delivered to their house before. But over the last few years, home food deliveries have exploded with companies picking up your meal from your choice of restaurant.

But with all these deliveries, how often does a meal go missing because the staff misheard your address?

The Home Shopping Network is a massive business, with callers placing thousands of orders over the phone every hour.

Making any kind of delivery order over the phone can be a risk when you are trying to communicate personal information which can be easily misspelled, such as your address or even your name.

The days are gone when people would just take a stroll to the local stores to do their shopping; research shows that up to 79 percent of Americans now shop online.

phonetic alphabet

The truth is that products bought online are no better than ones purchased in shops, but if you have a problem with an item, you can’t just wander down to the place you bought it and talk to the manager.

Actually, the use of phonetic alphabets such as the NATO one is having a bit of resurgence nowadays, as online shoppers are spending more time on the phone with customer service staff.

Business ranging from banks to insurance providers are all operating less and less in-person and increasingly online or over the phone.

Spelling Matters!

You sure don’t want your name misspelled on an insurance policy bank statement!

Spelling quiz is an extremely important skill to master.

Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

Moreover, try these spelling tests to master English spelling!

Phonetic alphabets were first invented to make radio communication clearer and the principle applies equally to speaking over the telephone. 

Background noise, poor signals and the inability to actually see somebody’s mouth forming words, all make it easy for miscommunications to occur.

It’s always a good idea to spell out your personal information using the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, or a similar acrophonic alphabet to make sure your details are taken correctly.

 The NATO Phonetic Alphabet: Clear Communication Everyday

Whether you’re teaching your children to read, doing business across the globe or just trying to order a pizza, the NATO Phonetic Alphabet has relevance to everyone’s daily lives.

But why stop there?

You can use NATO code words to make taxi booking over the phone, take telesales orders, leave clear voicemails, or even just show off your skills as a WWII movie buff. 

The possibilities are endless; any time there is a need for clear communication, the NATO Phonetic Alphabet is there to help. Most of these words come from simple day-to-day words. Experts call these words sight words and these words comprise of about 60% of the written words. 

So, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most commonly seen spelling words list in the English language. 

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!

The NATO Phonetic Alphabet: Spelling to Save Lives!

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You may not think that spelling can be a life or death matter. But, the alphabets have actually been invented to avoid the fatal results that some spelling mistakes can have. Spelling alphabets are used to make radio messages as easily understood as possible especially by the military. The most prominent modern-day code is the NATO phonetic alphabet.

Let’s consider a scenario.

Imagine that you’re on the ground in a military operation. You might even be behind enemy lines!

You receive orders to make your way to the extraction point: go to map grid DH98. But instead, your unit heads for BA98, having misheard the radio message.

Avoiding a critical situation like this is why we have phonetic spelling alphabets.

You’ve probably heard spelling alphabets being used in movies and on TV.

You may have even visited a historical landmark which uses a spelling alphabet, like Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. This marked the crossing between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. Officially called Checkpoint C.

The code word “Charlie” was used to avoid confusion between different checkpoints. For Example, B, C, and D, all of which sound very similar, especially over radio communication.

Nato phonetic alphabet

 

Thus, comes a unified alphabet system that can minimize the chances of miscommunication – the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

What is the NATO Phonetic Alphabet?

The NATO phonetic alphabet is an alphabet used specifically for spelling out voice messages.

More accurately known as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet (IRSA), or ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) alphabet.

It’s the official one used by NATO allies to communicate when spelling out letters or digits. The alphabet was declassified by NATO and can be heard in both military and civilian situations.

Why Do We Need a Phonetic Alphabet?

Have you ever had problems spelling out your name or another message over the phone?

It’s quite common that the person you’re speaking to can mishear you.

Many English letters sound very similar and they can be easy to mix up. Especially, when you’re not speaking face-to-face and lack the usual visual cues which help you interpret speech.

These issues are compounded in combat areas. Mostly because the soldiers may be faced with loud background noise, radio static or interference.

Letters like m and n, b and d, c and v sound so alike. One can easily misunderstand them over long-distance communication.

While this is merely annoying in civilian life, it can have fatal results in a military context.

A phonetic alphabet makes voice messages and letter combinations clear and easy to understand.

How Does It Work?

Instead of spelling out things like map coordinates with letters, military personnel substitutes a code word for each letter.

Map grid DH98, for example, becomes “Delta-Hotel-Niner-Ait.”

This makes communication clear and avoids confusion.

With just using letters and numbers, messages can easily be confusing.

Nato phonetic alphabet

The alphabet uses code words that correspond to the 26 letters of the English alphabet. These codes are acrophonical, meaning that each letter’s name (or in this case, code word), begins with the letter itself.

For example, the letter A corresponds to the codeword Alpha, B to Bravo, C to Charlie and so on.

Check out this 26 code words for the NATO phonetic alphabet list in alphabetical order – 

The NATO Phonetic Alphabet Chart
Sl. No. Letter Nato Code
1 A Alpha
2 B Bravo
3 C Charlie
4 D Delta
5 E Echo
6 F Foxtrot
7 G Golf
8 H Hotel
9 I India
10 J Juliett
11 K Kilo
12 L Lima
13 M Mike
14 N November
15 O Oscar
16 P Papa
17 Q Quebec
18 R Romeo
19 S Sierra
20 T Tango
21 U Uniform
22 V Victor
23 W Whiskey
24 X X-ray
25 Y Yankee
26 Z Zulu

 

Numbers also have their own particular assigned pronunciation for radio communication.

For example, 9 turns into niner and 5 is pronounced fifer, with an f instead of a v.

History of Spelling Alphabets

The current NATO phonetic alphabet is by no means the first of its kind.

The British and American militaries have been using their own locally invented code words for over a century now.

Nato phonetic alphabet

There are recorded spelling alphabets dating back to World War I. Back then, the British Armed Forces and the Royal Navy, in particular, used their own code words.

The Royal Navy used the official variant, with the letters A-E being represented by the words Apples, Butter, Charlie, Duff, and Edward.

Soldiers at the Western front used their own slang version, called “Signalese.”

Signalese had almost the same ideology behind it. But, the code words were different.

For example, Apples became Ack, Butter became Beerand so on. 

British armed forces changed to the RAF “Telephony Spelling Alphabet” and continued to use that up until 1956.

However, they made continuous changes over the years.

Over time, Apples changed to Ace and then Able or Affirm. Butter changed officially to Beer and then was eventually replaced by Baker.

The RAF alphabet was very similar to the U.S. system at the time. The U.S. developed their own phonetic alphabet used in the 1940s and 50s.

Some of their code words were Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy and Fox.

Eventually, the alphabet became known as “Able Baker” after the first two letters!

Fans of Vietnam War movies like Platoon have probably heard the American characters referring to the Vietnamese as “Charlie.”

If you’ve ever wondered why exactly, it’s actually because the Viet Cong were referred to by the U.S. military as VC or “Victor Charlie.

However, the soldiers used the shorter version – Charlie.

The Need for a Unified System – The Birth of NATO Phonetic Alphabet

The problem was that these alphabets were only intended to be used by people from the same nation, and couldn’t be used internationally.

The codes rely on English-centric words and needed to be more relatable to worldwide users.

The solution was the ICAO alphabet, which was tested by users from 31 countries so that people could communicate no matter where they came from.

Britain and America both changed to the ICAO in 1956 to facilitate communication between nations.

The first internationally recognized spelling alphabet was actually instituted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1927.

NATO forces used the ICAO since 1956 before it was eventually de-classified and came to replace the original ITU alphabet.

The Fundamentals of the ICAO Code

The code words weren’t just chosen at random!

The goal was to make the code as much clear and easy to understand as possible. There must be thousands of words in the English language that start with A, B, and any other letter.

When selecting the final code words, hundreds of comprehension tests were performed to see which words were the easiest to understand over voice communication.

Nato phonetic alphabet

The code words had to be understood by people of 31 nationalities and heard not only in isolation but in the context of a message. 

The word Football was most easily understood as an isolated word.

However, Foxtrot became the official code for the letter F. Because it had better results when used in an extended message.

Some other rejected code words include Nectar, which was replaced by November. 

Similarly, Extra, which was substituted with X-ray after complaints that the original words were too hard to understand in poor radio conditions.

Code words have changed over the years, with experience fuelling improved word choices for maximum intelligibility.  

Practical Uses in Modern Days

Military personnels have been using the phonetic alphabets for a hundred years, but they’re also a major part of the aviation industry.

In fact, the ICAO alphabet was the creation of an aviation organization and air traffic controllers used it to communicate with pilots. Airlines also use it to communicate passenger name records.

Transport organizations in general use spelling alphabets to transmit codes, with the International Maritime Organization also contributing to the evolution of code words.

Medical professionals, law enforcement officials, banks or civilians who often need to talk over the radio or even telephone, like call center workers, for example, find a spelling alphabet useful at times.

Most often, civilians just make up their own code words as most people haven’t memorized the particular ICAO alphabet unless their profession demands it.

There are a few phonetic alphabets in use these days.

The ICAO may seem a bit too militaristic for civilian use. In that case, try the Western Union Phonetic Alphabet which uses more civilian-friendly (although very U.S. based) words like Adams, Boston, and Chicago.

Try the LAPD Phonetic alphabet if you’re a fan of TV cop shows like Starsky and Hutch, who called their car “Zebra 3” instead of just “Z3.”

Final Words

It’s not hard to find chances to use a phonetic alphabet in your daily life. If you have kids, teach them phonics (how to recognize letter sounds) by using the NATO phonetic alphabet, or better yet, help them make up their own code words! 

Also, you should ask your kids to have a better grasp at these sight words as these are the most common words in the English language. 

Websites like SpellQuiz.com can help you and your kids practice English spelling test by developing your awareness of phonics and the sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet. Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

The next time you have to spell your name, or any other word for that matter, why not try using a few code words to get your message across clearly, as well as adding some fun into spelling?

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!