Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! This game is perfect for middle schoolers who are looking for 6th grade spelling bee words or 7th grade spelling bee words.  

 

Why Should You Consider Improving Listening Skills?

Comprehending Deeper Meanings

Understanding and speaking any language is about being able to hear the words and comprehend the deeper meaning behind the words.

Is the person asking a question?

Is the person referring to something that already happened or has yet to come?

What is the underlying message or purpose of what the person is saying?

Improving listening skills can help answer these questions for any English conversation.

Improving Conversational Abilities

Conversations are part of our everyday lives.

Whether they’re serious, casual, silly or emotional – conversations involve the successful relay of information between two or more individuals.

A conversation is “successful” when all parties involved have fully understood one another and can respond in a way that makes sense.

Expressing Feelings and Empathy

The ability to express one’s feelings and emphasize with others is sometimes very difficult.

By being able to listen and communicate better, you or your child can carry a conversation and get the point across without clouding the meaning of what was meant to be expressed.

In other words, improved communication means you can say what you mean.

Furthermore, you can learn to empathize with others by improving your listening skills.

Expanding Cognitive Capacity

Listening, rather than just hearing, causes a person to focus and concentrate on what is being said.

This allows the person to exercise their brain and take time to process the content of the language and voice.

By encouraging the brain to listen more efficiently, it gets a healthy workout.

Increasing Problem-Solving Capabilities

Listening and understanding words can only go so far without applying wisdom and problem-solving.

By being able to listen and comprehend the meanings and intentions of words, you can more easily process that information and make sense of it.

Developing Mannerism

Some people have a habit of talking over others and waiting anxiously for their turn to talk, rather than actually listening to someone.

However, listening more actively is a great way of getting to know people, being respectful and learning how to bring more value to the conversation.

Driven Towards Academic and Profesional Goals 

Simply put, having better listening skills can help a person succeed in school and future endeavors.

Throughout their years of academic learning, children are constantly challenged to listen and follow instructions.

When it comes to the working world, employers are always looking for someone with great listening skills to improve work with customers, clients, and coworkers.

How Does SpellQuiz Help with Improving Listening Skills?   

SpellQuiz offers more than just listening to a statement and restating it.

For each grade, SpellQuiz will have a varied collection of words that are interesting and valuable for that age group.

There are several lessons available for each grade presenting a variety of different topics.

We have individual tests from spelling for grade 1 to spelling for grade 12. 

A Dictation Based Vocabulary Development and Spelling Practice Arena

First, you will begin by listening to a given phrase at a normal speed, and then at a slower speed.

This will give you or your child the chance to listen to what was said as if hearing it in a normal conversation, and then again more slowly for improved comprehension.

After listening to the phrase, you or your child will then type in what you heard as best you can, taking care to use the correct spelling according to the phonetics.

If you get it wrong, it’s okay!

Your vocabulary will still develop! If you have a broader vocabulary, you should first take part in the vocabulary test. 

A Smart System for a Smarter Evaluation

SpellQuiz will show you or your child how many problems were attempted, how much time was used, the smart score (out of 100) and corrections for any mistakes made.

This teaching technique is designed to encourage your child to keep trying to improve their score by listening better and learning to type and spell correctly more frequently.

More Attention = Thorough Learning! 

Since the student is trying to type and correctly spell the words, they will have to work harder to listen to what the words are and how they sound.

This will cause them to pay greater attention to the meaning of the words and phrases rather than hearing them as a collection of random words.

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

Teaching phrases is a great way of enhancing comprehension and learning what words are appropriate to use in different situations. You can also sharpen your knowledge with the new addition from SpellQuiz — the idioms section. It has a wide collection of idioms definition and examples. 

Higher Audio Quality Ensuring Perfect Pronunciation  

The audio for each listening skills activity is of the highest quality.

The audio speaks in clear, precise English with enhanced English pronunciations.

Each word is sounded out with the correct tones and inflections.

That means your child can hear these phrases again in real life and be familiar with the phrase by understanding and recognizing the sounds.

The clear English pronunciation in each spelling skills exercise is for more than just helping the student hear and understand the words.

It’s also about teaching the student to say and pronounce the words correctly themselves.

That way, they can hold a conversation in life without the frustration and embarrassment of saying the words incorrectly.

The More You Practice, the Better Your English Gets

SpellQuiz can also provide a challenging yet qualitative listening skills test for you or your child.

This will give you a chance to put your practice time to the test and apply what you’ve learned to see where you’ve succeeded and where you need improvement. The more comprehensive grade-by-grade study material helps students of every academic level. Such practice sessions are good for dictation for class 3, as well as, dictation for class 10. 

Whom Can SpellQuiz Help?

Learning to correctly spell and understand words is an invaluable part of a child’s educational development. With the influence of word processing programs and smartphones, the motivation of learning to spell properly is often hindered by the convenience of autocorrect. What you need is a grade by grade spelling words list!

However, learning to spell a variety of words is essential to understanding and applying proper English into real-world situations.

With SpellQuiz, an online spelling quiz program, learning to spell has never been more learner-friendly. SpellQuiz offers quizzes and tests for hundreds of spelling words based on the learning stage of the student.

With this guide, you’ll read about many of the spelling quiz words taken directly from SpellQuiz materials. For each word, you’ll also find common definitions and insights as to why these words might be relevant to the associated age group, starting with first graders and ending with twelfth graders.

Try this vocabulary test tool to know your current vocabulary level!

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! This one game covers all the simple 4th grade spelling bee words, and even the hard 10th grade spelling bee words. 

First Grade Spelling Words

First graders start out with very simple verbs, nouns, and adjectives. These words will help them get a grasp on the basics of English speaking and spelling. The best 1st grade spelling words quiz should contain words that relate to simple things. This list should include those words that they would do or say in the real world.

• Smell

The word “smell” is a verb that describes the action of “inhaling a scent or odor with one’s olfactory nerves.”

Knowing how to distinguish senses by spelling, writing, and speaking is an integral part of learning and communication.

• Dry

The word “dry” is defined as something that is “free of moisture” or “not wet.”

It is a descriptive word that first graders can learn to use in a wide range of subjects.

• Cold

The word “cold” is an adjective describing something that “lacks warmth” or “has a low temperature.”

Like other adjectives that describe feelings, knowing this word is important for helping young children learn how to express themselves.

• Hope

The word “hope” is defined as a feeling that a given outcome or series of events will turn out for the best.

This word is a noun that can also be used as a verb (for example, “hoping”).

• Fog

The word “fog” is defined as “a cloudlike mass” that can occur near the surface of the earth. Similar to rain, fog is an important noun to know when discussing the weather.

• Play

The word “play” can be used as a verb when referring to “a fun activity for amusement.”

It can also be a noun describing a composition of drama performed on a stage.

• Bus

The word “bus” is commonly used as a noun to describe a “large motor vehicle” used for transportation.

Students will likely come to know this word very well.

• Glass

The word “glass” is a noun referring a type of transparent substance. Students may use the word when discussing a windowpane or cup, to name some examples.

• Late

The word “late” is an adjective that describes something or someone that has arrived or occurred “after the usual time.”

Late is an essential word to grasp for anyone who may need to do something within a deadline.

• Drink

The word “drink” is a versatile word that can be used as a noun as well as a verb. This is an expressive word that students should become familiar with right away.

Second Grade Spelling Words

A 2nd grade spelling test should only include basic words. It would help them incorporate a wider range of adjectives, nouns, and verbs. It would help them get rid of the fear of spelling tests and exams. 

Word complexity will increase slightly, but words will still be familiar and vastly applicable.

 

• Name

The word “name” is frequently used as a noun to describe a word that is “designated or assigned to a specific person, place or thing”.

Using this word is a great start for children learning to address individuals or ask questions to specific people.

• Puddle

The word “puddle” is defined as “a small pool of water” or some other type of liquid. This is a great double-letter word that a student can practice when learning about vocabulary and phonetics.

• There

The word “there” is an adverb defined as “in or at that place”. Second graders should be able to start recognizing the differences between “there”, “they’re” and “their.”

• Floor

The word “floor” is defined as a surface that encloses the lower part of a room in a structure.

Second graders should be able to spell and recognize the noun, “floor”.

• Truth

The word “truth” is defined as something that is “verified” or “conformed with facts”. This is a great example of a commonly used word that ends in “th”.

• Sister

The word “sister” is defined as a “female offspring” that has the same parents or a close kinship with another. Many students with siblings will use this word on a day-to-day basis.

• Bicycle

The word “bicycle” is a noun referring to a vehicle with “two wheels in tandem”. This is a commonly misspelled word that students should be introduced to as they learn how to ride bicycles.

• Knits

The word “knits” is defined as the action of knitting or “making a garment by hand with yarn”. This plural noun can be a challenge due to the silent “k”.

• Soil

The word “soil” can be defined as “a layer of the earth’s surface where plants and crops may grow”. Students may begin recognizing this word in physical science studies.

• Owl

The word “owl” is a noun referring to a member of a group of nocturnal birds of prey from the taxonomic order, Strigiformes. Learning simple animal names is a great way to catch a student’s interest in a 2^nd grade spelling words quiz.

Third Grade Spelling Words

Third graders may begin to learn words that are more specific to certain types of subjects. A 3rd grade spelling test may also start to incorporate longer words with more syllables.

• Airplane

The word “airplane” is a noun referring to “heavier-than-air” manmade This is a fairly commonly used word with two syllables.

• Cried

The word “cried” is derived from “cry,” which is defined as “the action of shedding tears.” This is a great example of a commonly used past tense verb.

• Property

The word “property” is defined as a possession (such as a piece of land) that a person owns. This can be a challenging three-syllable word to spell.

• Current

The word “current” can have several different meanings; it’s commonly used to define something that’s “passing in present time.” This is an example of a word that is commonly used both as an adjective and a noun (the flow of water or electricity, for example).

• Oxen

The word “oxen” is a plural of the noun “ox,” which is a type of This word is great spelling practice for appropriate words containing the letter “x.”

• Pleasure

The word “pleasure” is a noun defined as being in “a state of gratification or delight.” This word can be a challenge to spell and pronounce.

• Stand

The word “stand” is a verb defined as “to rise to one’s feet” or be in an “upright position.” This word is commonly used as part of many verb phrases (“stand down,” for example).

• Indoors

The word “indoors” can be defined as “the space inside or within a building.” This word is a commonly used adverb.

• Bounce

The word “bounce” is a verb meaning “to spring back” from the ground or another surface. This is a unique action word that makes an interesting addition to a 3^rd grade spelling words quiz.

• Photograph

The word “photograph” is a noun referring to “a picture,” usually produced by a camera. This is a frequently used word and great spelling practice for words that end in “ph.”

Fourth Grade Spelling Words

Quizzes with the best 4^th grade spelling words will continue adding more complex words that are increasingly difficult to spell and pronounce. Fourth graders may also start to learn more unique adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions as they gradually expand their vocabularies. That’s why a 4th grade spelling test starts to become a bit hard. 

• Whenever

The word “whenever” is defined as “at any time” depending on the usage. It’s a unique yet commonly used conjunction.

• Master

The word “master” is defined as a “person who owns or has the ability to control or hold power over something.” This word can also be used as an adjective (“a master play”) or a verb (“to master a language”).

• Award

The word “award,” as a verb, means to “assign or bestow.” As a noun, it’s something that one may receive, such as a medal.

• Citizenship

The word “citizenship” is defined as a position of having certain rights or privileges in a particular country or society. With its four syllables, this word may be a challenge to spell and pronounce.

• Approach

The word “approach,” as a verb, is defined as the action of coming near or closer to or “to make advances.” This word includes double letters (“pp”), which should be practiced in a 4^th grade spelling quiz.

• Acreage

The word “acreage” is a noun that defines “a plot of land” or a given extent of an area. This is an excellent spelling word as it can be a challenging word to use and spell correctly.

• Dungeon

The word “dungeon” is a noun that defines a type of “stronghold or cell, often found within a castle.” Students may come across this word while reading fiction or watching movies.

• Apology

The word “apology” is defined as an “expression of regret or remorse that may be written or spoken by a person who has wronged another.” This four-syllable word is a challenging addition to a 4^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Spoil

The word “spoil” is frequently used as a verb when discussing something that has become “severely damaged or diminished in quality.” As a verb used without an object, it can mean “to become bad” or “to plunder.”

• Squirm

This unique verb means the action of “wiggling,” such as in discomfort. This word is great spelling practice for uncommon

Fifth Grade Spelling Words

As they progress through more advanced subjects, a spelling quiz for fifth graders should include more creative or uncommon words that can still be used in typical, mature conversations. A 5th grade spelling test might include many polysyllable words so that students can have a better grasp over longer words. 

• Crawl

The word “crawl” is a verb referring to the action of a “body that’s moving in a prone position, such as on hands and knees.” Students may use this word when talking about the movement of an animal.

• Situation

The word “situation” is a noun referring to a “condition” or “state of affairs.” Students may begin to use this word more frequently in complex sentences.

• Misbehaving

The word “misbehaving” is a present participle of “misbehave,” which means “to behave in an improper way.” This is a long and challenging word to spell, making it a great addition to a 5^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Mighty

The word “mighty” is an adjective that describes the characteristic of “having great strength or power.” This word is an interesting adjective that fifth graders may learn to use in their own creative writing.

• According

The word “according” can be defined as “agreeing” when used as an adjective. “According to” is often used as a preposition, meaning “in conformity with” or “depending on.”

• Cheapskate

The word “cheapskate” is a noun referring to someone who is very stingy, such as with money. This uncommon word is an interesting noun that students may use in creative writing.

• Tourist

The word “tourist” is a noun referring to a “person who travels, usually for pleasure.” This word is a great example of when it’s proper to use “ou” instead of “oo,” although the sounds are the same.

• Ceremony

The word “ceremony” refers to a formal activity or rite, usually performed as an important public or personal event. Students may become familiar with this word when attending such events.

• Lexicon

The word “lexicon” is a noun referring to an inventory, dictionary or vocabulary, depending on the usage. This uncommon word is great spelling practice for words that contain the letter “x.”

• Scissors

The word “scissors” is a noun referring to a type of instrument made for cutting paper. This is a word that fifth graders may use often, yet it can be a challenge to spell due to the silent “c.”

Sixth Grade Spelling Words

A 6th grade spelling test should include words that require the student to test their attention to detail and level of comprehension. These words may have various pronunciations or silent letters that require knowing the core meaning of the word.

• Accept

The word “accept” is a verb for the action of “agreeing to take or receive something.” This word should be practiced as it can be confused with the word “except.”

• Acquired

The word “acquired” is past tense of the verb “acquire,” meaning “to gain or come into possession” of something. Students may use this word to build more advanced sentences.

• Emergency

The word “emergency” is a noun referring to “an unexpected occurrence or event,” usually in a situation where help or relief is needed. Students should be able to identify this word when learning about safety.

• Buildings

The word “buildings” is a plural noun referring to “more than one enclosed structure.” 

• Physical

The word “physical” is an adjective that describes something as “material” or “relating to the body.” This is an important word to spell as it may be used in a wide range of applications, in school and elsewhere.

• Scientist

The word “scientist” is a noun referring to someone who is “an expert in the field of science.” Due to the silent “c,” this word may be commonly misspelled; however, it’s a common and important one for students to learn.

• Disagreement

The word “disagreement” is a noun referring to “the state or act of opposing something.” This is a great example of a word that contains a negative prefix (“dis-“).

• Autumn

The word “autumn” is a noun referring to a season of the year, specifically “between summer and winter.” This is a commonly used yet misspelled word ending in “mn,” making it a great addition to a 6^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Different

The word “different” is defined as “unusual or not like others.” This word is an adjective commonly used in many types of discussions.

• Tropical

The word “tropical” is an adjective relating to “the tropics, a geographical region often characterized by heat and humidity.” Students may come across this word in ecology and geology classes.

Seventh Grade Spelling Words

Seventh graders should now be able to spell basic and common words with ease. This is a great time for students to practice longer and more complex 7^th grade spelling words that they can use in real life scenarios, such as college preparation. A 7th grade spelling test might have a lot of foreign words that the English language dissolved into itself. 

• Steppe

A steppe means “an extensive plain, especially one without trees.” Students may come across this word while studying physical geography, geography, and ecology.

• Inquiries:

The word “inquiries” is a plural of the verb “inquire,” meaning to investigate or ask for information about something. 

• Negotiable

The word “negotiable” is an adjective referring to something that has” the ability to be bargained or made a deal with.”

This word can help students learn variations of “ti” sounds.

• Rustling

The word “rustling” derives from the verb, rustle, meaning “to make a sound from softly or slightly stirring or rubbing something,” such as leaves. This is an interesting verb that people use in creative writing.

• Plague

You can describe a plague as “an epidemic disease that causes high mortality.” Seventh graders may come across this word in their history or literature classes.

• Bonafide

You can define Bonafide as “authentic.” While this word isn’t very common, it’s an important adjective to know that may come up in legal documentation as well as some literature.

• Obstacles

The word “obstacles” is a plural form of “obstacle,” which means something that blocks one’s way or hinders progress.” The word can refer to physical barriers or nonphysical concepts.

• Embarrass

The word “embarrass” means “to cause confusion and shame.” Chances are, most people have felt and used this word in a variety of situations. But the spelling can get confusing based on the number of repeated letters.

• Cancellation

The word “cancellation” means “the action of canceling an arranged or planned incident.”

However, it is one of those common words that children and adults should all know how to spell correctly. Seventh graders will likely come across this word in many aspects of their academic and career experiences.

• Abandon

The word “abandon” is a verb meaning “to give up or forsake.” You may misspell it as “abanden”.

Eighth Grade Spelling Words

An 8th grade spelling test should contain words that are relevant, interesting and challenging for young adults who may be especially busy with sports and friends. Words related to socializing and events can make for engaging 8^th grade spelling words.  

• Accompanied

The word “accompanied” is a past tense verb meaning “to have joined a person or people in an activity or venture.” This can be a challenging yet important word to know, especially in social situations.

• Gymnasium

The word “gymnasium” is a noun referring to “a large building, usually in a school, where gymnastics and other indoor activities are held.” This will prove to be an important word to know as students attend events or practice sports.

• Spectators

The word “spectators” is a plural noun referring to “people who are watching a sport or event rather than participating.” This is a great example of a challenging spelling word ending in “”

• Senator

The word “senator” is a noun referring to a person who “represents the ” This word will become more important to know as students learn about history, politics and government affairs.

• Abstain

The word “abstain” is a verb meaning “to withhold” or “refrain from” something, especially when it comes to voting or unhealthy behavior. Students will likely come across this word in health classes.

• Accumulate

The word “accumulate” means to gather something in increments. It’s an action word that may come up in a variety of subjects, such as math or science.

• Reunion

The word “reunion” is a noun referring to “the act of being united again”, such as the gathering of people who have met previously. This is a good addition to an 8^th grade spelling words quiz because it’s an example of a word that starts with “re.”

• Acoustic

The word “acoustic” is an adjective that describes “the sense of hearing.” This word is also often used under the subject of music, referring to “musical instruments without electric enhancement.”

• Perspective

The word “perspective” is a noun referring to the point of view or the state of something, such as in spatial relationships or visual experience. This is a great addition to a student’s vocabulary as it can be used in a variety of applications.

• Punishable

The word “punishable” is an adjective meaning “when something or someone is deemed worthy of receiving punishment.” This word is a good example of the use of “able” combined with a complete word (punish).

Ninth Grade Spelling Words

Ninth graders are now transitioning into higher levels of education with denser subjects. A 9th grade spelling test needs to contain several interesting or exclusive words that students may encounter both inside and outside of school.

• Orchestra

The word “orchestra” can be defined as “a group of people playing a variety of musical instruments” to produce harmonious sounds. Students may come across this uniquely spelled word while participating in school activities.

• Gambling

The word “gambling” is a noun referring to “the act of making a risk while playing a game or taking a chance when odds are at stake.” Students need to recognize words such as this when dealing with real life

• Acquittal

The word “acquittal” is defined as “the state or action of discharge or release.” While it may be confused for a verb, it’s actually a noun and sometimes used in subjects of law.

• Ambiguous

The word “ambiguous” is an adjective that describes something that’s “doubtful or equivocal with many possible meanings.” This is a challenging spelling word that ninth graders may begin to come across more frequently.

• Apparatus

The word “apparatus” is a noun referring to “instruments or mechanisms that are usually complex in nature.” Students may encounter this word in science and physiology classes.

• Laboratory

The word “laboratory” is commonly used as a noun defining “a place or building where scientific activities take place, such as experiments for research.” This word can frequently be misspoken and misspelled as “Labratory”

• Approximately

The word “approximately” means “roughly or slightly accurate but not exact.” This word is an adverb but derives from the word “approximate,” which is an adjective.

• Benevolent

The word “benevolent” is an adjective that describes something or someone who has “kindly or charitable feelings or the desire to help others over themselves.” Students may come across this word in literature.

• Blasphemous

The word “blasphemous” is an adjective that describes something that is “profane or irreverent.” This word makes a great addition to a 9^th grade spelling words quiz because it introduces students to words they may not otherwise hear very often.

• Bravado

The word “bravado” means “a bold display of courage intended to impress.” While it may sound like an action (verb), it’s actually a display or behavior (noun).

Tenth Grade Spelling Words

The best 10^th grade spelling words quiz should contain impressive spelling words that help students broaden their vocabulary and gain a firm grasp on proper spelling and grammar. Students should be able to integrate these words into their experiences while having a solid understanding of definitions and usage. A 10th grade spelling test should be able to judge the students’ grasp of the language. 

• Abnormal

Abnormal is an adjective that describes something that “deviates from the norm.” This word can be used in a variety of situations and discussions, such as when describing weather, behavior or economics.

• Integral

The word “integral” is commonly used as an adjective to describe something that “belongs to a part of the whole or something that is necessary to complete the whole.” This word may also come up as a noun in mathematic

• Geometry

The word “geometry” refers to a branch of study in mathematics. Tenth graders will likely be taking geometry classes, so it’s important that they are able to spell the name correctly.

• Conclusive

The word “conclusive” is an adjective defined as “serving to settle or decide a question.” This word may be used in discussions of subjects such as science or criminal justice.

• Ecstatic

The word “ecstatic” is an adjective that describes the feeling of intense emotions or ecstasy. This word has a unique spelling, making it a great addition to a 10^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Discipline

The word “discipline” is a noun referring to “an activity or behavior that involves training to develop a skill or make a correction in accordance with rules.” Due to its spelling with “sci,” this word can be a challenge to spell and pronounce properly.

• Appreciated

The word “appreciated” derives from the word “appreciate,” meaning to recognize or understand something to its full worth. This word can be categorized as a past tense verb.

• Exhibition

The word “exhibition” is a noun referring to “a public display” or “a showing” of something. This word can be commonly misspelled when the “h” is left out, making it an ideal candidate for a 10^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Institution

The word “institution” is a noun referring to “an organization, society or building” that devotes itself to a specific cause or program. Students may begin to come across this word when looking at colleges or learning about organizations.

• Preserve

The word “preserve” is a verb meaning “to keep something alive or maintain something.” It can also be used as a noun when talking about, for example, a wildlife preserve or fruit preserves.

Eleventh Grade Spelling Words

The best eleventh grade spelling words quiz will contain several uncommon, challenging adjectives and verbs that students may use to build a more diverse vocabulary for speaking and writing. An 11th grade spelling test quiz may also contain words found in 11^th grade class subjects, such as history, criminal justice, earth science, and so on.

• Thorough

The word “thorough” is an adjective describing something that has been completely or perfectly completed or executed. This word is great for spelling practice as you can confuse it with “through.”

• Castigate

The word “castigate” is a verb that means the act of “criticizing or punishing” in an effort. Mostly, Students may come across this word while studying history or criminal justice.

• Intrinsic

The word “intrinsic” is an adjective describing something that “belongs or lying within something naturally.” This is a useful vocabulary word that students may use in papers and essays.

• Abhorrent

The word “abhorrent” is an adjective describing something as “loathsome.” This is a unique adjective that you can use in creative writing.

• Sedentary

The word “sedentary” is an adjective describing something that’s “at rest” such as in a sitting position and not moving. You might confuse this word with the word “sedimentary,” which has a completely different meaning.

• Parliament

The word “parliament” means “the highest legislature of Great Britain.” Although you can use it to define “meetings and assemblies related to public or national affairs.” This word has a tricky spelling with the silent “a.”

• Severity

The word “severity” has a close connection to “harshness or intensity.” It often refers to extreme pain or behavior. Students may use this word in a range of applications. So, it’s important to learn how to spell and pronounce it correctly.

• Nullify

The word “nullify” is a verb meaning to “deprive or declare as void”. This is a unique uncommon word that you can see in many subjects, such as history and politics.

• Deprecating

The word “deprecating” refers to the act of “expressing disapproval” or “protesting against” something. This word is a present participle of the word “deprecate.”

• Contentious

The word “contentious” is an adjective that describes something or someone as “argumentative or quarrelsome.” Students may use this word when describing people or characters.

Twelfth Grade Spelling Words

A 12th grade spelling test should have an advanced, adult to near-adult level words that will truly put students to the test. These words may not be common in typical conversations. However, they still have learning value and you may speak or write them in more advanced topics.

 

• Mischievous

The word “mischievous” is an adjective describing something or someone as “annoying or harmful in a malicious or playful way.” This is a challenging word to spell due to the differences between pronunciation and actual spelling, making it a good candidate for a 12^th grade spelling words quiz.

• Reciprocated

The word “reciprocated” is a verb meaning to “return a feeling or interchange,” such as the giving and receiving of gifts. This word is a past particle of reciprocate, a commonly misspelled word.

 

• Insincere

The word insincere is an adjective describing something that is “dishonest or hypocritical.”

This is yet another great descriptive word that you can use in creative writing.

• Conversationalist

The word “conversationalist” refers to “a person who is interesting or contributes well to conversations.”

Interestingly, this six-syllable noun is a great challenging addition to a 12th-grade spelling words quiz.

• Conspirators

The word “conspirators” is a plural of the word “conspirator,” meaning someone who “conspires or plots, usually in a secret or unlawful way.”

• Illimitable

The word “illimitable” is an adjective that describes something as “limitless or without bounds.” It’s an interesting and uncommon word that students can incorporate into their acquired terminology.

• Dormitory

The word “dormitory” refers to “a building with separate rooms for residents,” usually at a college with additional bathroom facilities. Students may become more familiar with this word when researching college.

• Imbroglio

The word “imbroglio” is a noun referring to “a disagreement between groups in a complicated situation.” Although people do not frequently use it, this is an interesting word to add to a spelling quiz.

• Cavalier

The word “cavalier” refers to a noun as “a man, knight or solider, usually mounted.” This word can also be used as an adjective to describe something or someone as “haughty, offhand or indifferent to something important.”

• Immiscible.

The word “immiscible” is an adjective that describes something that “cannot be mixed,” such as when talking about liquids. Students may come across this word in subjects such as chemistry.

Students Will Grow Their Vocabularies and Expand Their Horizons with SpellQuiz

Here are a few ways that SpellQuiz can directly help students learn and retain even the most complex spelling words:

• Includes spelling words for each grade based on difficulty.
• Uses clear dictation to teach children proper usage of spelling words with clear, complete sentences.
• Offers spelling quizzes and tests that students can practice and track to improve their learning success.
• Presents students with words that they can use while studying, writing essays, socializing, preparing for college, and much more.

SpellQuiz offers fun and engaging study materials. So, students can master spelling as well as learn how to use a wide range of useful words throughout their lives.

The purpose of this post is to present the information on the most influential and active Facebook English tutors.

Facebook has tons of groups and pages dedicated for learning English, but it is tough to search in Facebook and find those, who provide really exceptional services, dedicated to the knowledge transfer and being consistent in the way they present the information.

We made extensive research on Facebook, found pages with millions of likes on them, but no human face behind the big brands. We’re sure that they are doing a good job, but our interest was mostly about real people driven by real personas.

In the current article you will find the information about the most active and influential English tutors on Facebook, but if by any chance we missed you, a talented, English tutor who currently is active on Facebook, please let us know and we will be happy to add you into the list as well.

Facebook has a vast database, but it is also famous for poor search engine incorporated into it.

You can’t easily get comprehensive information by typing the search within a website; Google does a much better job.

So down below is what we did – we approached the most influential and famous Facebook English tutors and let them introduce themselves.

We did not touch the English tutors’ language and allow them to present as natural as you will see below.

Top 6 Facebook English Tutors Who Can help You Shine!

1. Iryna’s English Page

Facebook Page: Iryna’s English Page

Country: UK

Followers: 220,043

 

Hello, Everyone! My name is Iryna and I am a founder of “Iryna’s English Page” on Facebook. When I was a language student in the early 2000s, all our learning resources were very dry and dull.

Quite often we had to memorize everything by heart and spend long hours writing notes. It was definitely not an enjoyable time and it’s certainly not a learning experience I want to give my learners.

Language learning has significantly improved since then and there are so many useful resources available online. Creating Iryna’s English Page my mission was to help people from the disadvantaged parts of the world where there is still a struggle for learning.

I create bright and colorful posts and cover only one topic a day but in great detail. Apart from that, I also record short educational videos and arrange occasional live chats.

I strongly believe that language learning should be enjoyable and fun and I hope this is exactly what my learners receive improving their language skills with Iryna’s English Page.

 

2. SpellQuiz

Facebook Page: SpellQuiz – Learn English – Spelling Test and Listening Practice

Country: Canada

Followers: 12,083

 

Hi! I am Nazrin, and I am an eighth-grade student at a school in Calgary.

A couple of years ago my brother and I were behind in our spelling and listening comprehension, and my father created an online spelling test website – SpellQuiz by the help of experienced teachers from North America, both Canada and the USA.

Since the launch of the application in March of 2017 I have practiced more than 9500 words and bolstered my vocabulary. Moreover, I gained confidence not only in spelling and listening comprehension, but also tremendously improved my typing skills.

My father firmly believes that if you can learn by having fun, it will make the process of education more comfortable, pleasant and will provide long-term benefits. He further believes that teaching others also helps to comprehend the topic itself better. Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

This is how my brothers and I started the SpellQuiz project on Facebook  – creating funny videos and trying to teach other students by enjoying what we are doing. The young kids can learn about the common sight words test from SpellQuiz too!

If you wish to follow the way how we learn and practice English, start here! Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! Moreover, try these spelling tests to master English spelling!

If you like more the fun side of our page, you can always subscribe to our YouTube page to watch the latest SpellQuiz videos. Plus, now you can idioms and fun quizzes for kids here. 

4. Interactive English by Wes & Ioana

Facebook Page: Interactive English

Country: USA/Hungary

Followers: 222,170

 

Hi! We are Wes & Ioana from Interactive English. We’re from the United States (California), but we currently reside in Budapest, Hungary. We both love teaching, languages, and learning about different cultures. Therefore, teaching English to learners from all over the world was a perfect fit.

The Interactive English Facebook page helps learners practice and improve their English skills. We share fun video lessons to help learners understand a variety of topics ranging from grammar to pronunciation to idioms.

We also post visual aids and ask questions to help those in our community practice their skills.

Our goal is to make our Facebook page as interactive as possible. We love it when learners engage with our videos and answer our questions. This helps us create an active online learning environment.

We’re on numerous social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. For videos, as well as weekly live-lessons, learners can check out our YouTube channel.

In the near future, we plan to launch a website with online courses, ebooks, and much more. Stay tuned!

5. JForrstEnglish by Jennifer

Facebook Page: JForrestEnglish

Country:  Canada

Followers: 134,303

 

Hi, I’m Jennifer, a certified English Teacher and Communications Expert with over 10 years of experience helping busy professionals communicate their message fluently, confidently, and easily.

I started my Facebook page because I noticed that all of my students, even my advanced students, couldn’t understand me when I used “real” expressions (ex/ how’s it going). They could only understand me when I used “textbook” expressions (ex/ how are you).

Plus, my advanced students sounded awkward because the way they talked wasn’t natural. For example, all my students say “I arrived home at 6:00”. But that’s not what an English speaker would say. We would say “I got home at 6:00”.

So I created my Facebook Page to expose my students to real English, to improve their listening skills of fast-paced English and to teach natural expressions and pronunciation.

I recently launched a Facebook Group, Business English for Professionals, for Intermediate and Advanced students learning English for professional reasons.

I created the JForrest Online English Academy to help busy professionals speak English confidently in only 90 days so they can communicate their ideas without fear of being misunderstood.

Each week in the Academy, students get a self-study video lesson, Facebook live lesson, and a speaking challenge.

Each week members learn must-know expressions, correct pronunciation, and grammar in a natural context, and public speaking skills. The Academy takes students from frustrated English learners to confident English speakers. Learn more about the Academy here: JForrestEnglish.  

6. Jacob Teacher by Jacob

Facebook Page: Jacob Teacher

Country: Canada

Followers: 29,644 

 

Hey there! My name is Jacob. I’m an online English teacher based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After teaching English to elementary students for two years while living abroad in Korea, I decided that teaching was the career for me.

Presently, I help adult English language learners step outside of their comfort zones in order to reach a higher level of confidence and fluency. I try to get my students to engage emotionally with the lessons I teach.

Furthermore, together we study and analyze English songs, YouTube videos, films, and a whole lot more! Moreover, My lessons challenge people to think and tell stories about their own lives in English. In addition to my Facebook page, I also release weekly podcast episodes for The Jacob Teacher Podcast and run an online membership community called Jacob’s English Club.

If you want to study native English materials and take giant steps towards feeling more confident as an English speaker, join Jacob’s English Club!

First grade is a vital time for children to learn and grow. To aid your children in this journey, we have come up with a series of spelling exercises to make learning English words fun and easy. This page includes 1st grade spelling words which have been used in our spelling exercises on SpellQuiz.

Help your children increase their vocabulary words count by practicing on SpellQuiz spelling for grade 1

Alternatively, you may use the spelling lists from our website to create a list of your own home spelling words or using dictionary words, all for free.

Practice with your children every week as much you please to improve their skills and customize the tests according to your child’s needs. Spelling quizzes are great ways to teach your kids spelling. Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!

Also, try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

Encourage your child to practice on a regular basis and help them achieve brilliant scores in school, building the foundations for a brighter future.

It would also help them with the ultimate competition called Spelling Bee. This guide will help you get started with it.

Do you want your child to study spelling words for first grade with ease and fun? Try our 1st-grade spelling lessons on SpellQuiz! 

You can also check our Video Tutorial on how to practice spelling words on SpellQuiz. 

And below is the list of 250 spelling words for first grade: 

List 1: 1 – 50 1st Grade Spelling Words

Wig	Come	Pet	Be	Sat
Brick	Sack	You	Find	About
Soak	Dry	Snow	Rut	Tree
To	Run	Been	Cap	Hit
Number	Note	Wet	Play	Mug
This	Code	Of	It	Mat
Must	They	Pan	Race	Cat
Words	Soap	That	Oil	Ink
Note	May	So	Her	Wet
Mob	Name	Shy	My	Will

List 2: 51-100 1st Grade Spelling Words

Day	Must	Lip	Bun	Not
Page	For	First	Roof	His
She	Tan	Part	Hut	Lot
Or	Cup	Coat	Can	Well
Load	Bit	Sled	Would	Mat
Sky	Skin	Clock	Go	Bat
Back	Tray	Town	Moon	Kick
On	Hot	Two	Were	Snack
At	Other	Fun	Shell	Could
Show	Bat	More	Into	Now

List 3: 101 – 150 1st Grade Spelling Words

Legs	Stop	Spin	Out	Shut
Snake	Trip	Called	Pin	Use
Dog	Stuck	He	Way	Up
Thin	Cob	Tame	One	Pool
Block	Thing	Your	Try	Get
Pop	With	Nap	Tell	Nut
Long	Cut	Fox	Each	Win
Grow	Man	Sun	Said	Who
Had	Black	These	Water	Set
No	Plow	Took	Him	Ten

List 4: 151 – 200 1st Grade Spelling Words

Some	Made	And	Time	Big
Map	Truck	Bad	Cow	Sob
Bug	Red	Nose	By	Make
Drop	Hole	Wood	Look	Are
Clay	Float	All	Which	Spoon
Do	Then	Down	But	Like
Fled	Pot	Has	How	Mom
Flow	Dig	Bone	Have	Fell
Job	Pen	We	People	Stick
Hook	Mop	Sock	Shop	From

List 5: 201 – 250 1st Grade Spelling Words

Luck	Sell	Was	Cry	Sit
There	Pig	Is	Pit	Bed
What	Boat	Many	Kid	Ant
Write	As	Pay	Tape	An
Bat	Duck	Game	In	Fit
Less	Glad	Hop	Chop	Rug
When	Tuck	Sick	Bell	Hen
Time	Hug	Tooth	Rock	Too
Low	Run	Ship	Stay	Tool
Them	Bow	Hat	Let	Tap

 

 

Before teaching children about emotional intelligence, one needs to know what the terms exactly mean. Emotional intelligence is the ability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others. It is also about finding out the difference between different feelings and labeling them appropriately.

Using emotional information will help you in guide thinking and behavior, and managing and/or adjusting emotions to adjust to environments or to achieve one’s goal.

Why Should Parents be the First to Teach the Kids?

For parents, teaching their kids how to take care of themselves is a difficult task. But, more importantly, they should teach their kids emotional intelligence to make them capable to cope up with various social aspects of human society and human interactions.

It will also help children to express his or her emotions. Teaching such things to your children might seem easy, but it is a completely different scenario and completely different from the daily scenarios of taking care of a child. You may not be an “expert,” but with experience, you can build up your confidence.

Families Should Be the Primary Source of such education.

What Should be the Role of the Teachers and Schools?

Your kids may learn English and science in the classroom. They can learn how to write a business proposal or assignment writing. But, how about school’s teaching emotional intelligence to students? Educational institutions are responsible for teaching kids emotional intelligence.

This responsibility falls on the households, or to be more specific, parents. Families can teach a child about emotional intelligence better than any institution or teacher.

Hence, the first and foremost requirement to teach children about emotional intelligence is family. Keeping a child with a babysitter and spending most of the time on work can have a negative impact on the child which indirectly forbids them to learn emotional intelligence. If you are curious you could try doing an emotional intelligence test to understand the current level of your child. 

What Do the Experts Say?

“We have to look at emotional intelligence as art and science just like we teach kids math or spelling –we can’t assume kids know these skills,” says Dr. Shimi Kang.

Dr. Shimi Kang is a Vancouver-based psychiatrist and parent herself.

Tips for Teaching Emotional Intelligence to Your Kids

It’s a must for a parent to teach their child about emotional intelligence as soon as they are born. Responding to them crying, laughing with them when they laugh, playing games and communicating with them is helpful as it makes them comprehend the mediums of sharing emotions. It also helps them adjust to various functions and norms of society as a whole.

Kids with learning disabilities will get benefitted a lot if their parents help them develop such intelligence. We are talking about disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and others. 

Wondering about how to improve emotional intelligence? Here’s how you can teach it to your kids –

1. Allowing expressions
2. Acknowledging the child’s perspective and empathize with them
3. Acknowledging the child’s feelings
4. Teaching kids to give back
5. Allowing them to make mistakes
6. Teaching kids resiliency and to look at the big picture
7. The education of optimism and gratitude
8. Teaching kids how to manage their emotions

Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?

Children with higher emotional intelligence develop faster. In schools, teachers choose students with intelligence as they will not only be able to perform well but will also be better equipped to read workplace situations.

Furthermore, students with higher emotional intelligence get along with their fellow students, collaborate and solve problems better. It also creates a better environment for personalized learning too.

The most powerful way a parent can do is accepting the child’s emotions. One important thing to remember, you should always create a safer environment while you are teaching your kids. 

In addition, it is also necessary to provide them with the tools they require to manage those emotions by themselves.

Final Thoughts

Emotional intelligence is “being smarter with feelings.” It is a powerful set of learnable skills that can transform an individual to become more aware, make better choices, and be more purposeful. According to various reports, parents are the most important people to teach these life skills to their kids.  If your emotional abilities aren’t developed, it may be difficult for you to be self-aware and to manage your emotions. You can’t have empathy and have meaningful relationships, no matter how smart you are. And even if you do, you won’t go very far. 

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! Also, try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level! Try these spelling tests to master English spelling! Also, don’t forget to check the complete list of sight words.  

Have you ever got in a situation where your child is finding it really hard to understand simple math facts? For example, are they having a problem understanding the basic numbering order, being confused about which comes first 5 or 7? There is a strong chance that your kids might be a victim of dyscalculia.

You must have heard about dyslexia – the disability to read and write properly. In many cases, parents get confused between dyscalculia and dyslexia. Well, in reality, dyscalculia is a different learning disability that involves mathematical learning hardship.

Today, we will try to help you diagnose whether your child actually has dyscalculia or not and what you can to help him or her to tackle this situation.

Dyscalculia Definition: Understanding the Condition

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that makes it hard or nearly impossible for a person to grasp the fundamentals of mathematics. The symptoms vary from person to person, and not everyone will have the same issues.

You might be thinking that every child faces problems at first while learning mathematical fundamentals. Well, it’s true that a lot of children find math difficult at first. However, they outgrow these issues as time passes.

On the other hand, this disorder is a lifelong condition. It doesn’t go away as someone is growing up.

What are some common and basic identifiers of dyscalculia?

As we have said, dyscalculia affects each person differently. But there are some symptoms that might be considered as strong identifiers –

• Difficulty understanding quantity
• Inability to tell which number is bigger and which one small
• Failure to understand the “5” and “five” are the same
• Difficulty to understand the mathematical symbols and their meaning

These are some of the primary symptoms. There are a lot of dominant signs that we would discuss later.

One more thing, there is no certain research that confirms what exactly causes this disorder only some speculations. Moreover, no expert knows for sure whether dyscalculia is more dominant in boys or girls.

Signs and Symptoms: Does Your Child Have Dyscalculia?

First things first, there is not certain symptoms like most other disorders when it comes to dyscalculia. Basically, the disorder is connected to mathematical difficulties, but it’s not mandatory for two cases to be exactly the same. However, don’t confuse it thinking it a simple case of procrastination or a shorter attention span.   

Just like other learning disabilities like – Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, DCD,  ADHD, etc., the symptoms become prominent when kids start going to schools. Some may start showing signs in the preschool, while some will not show them until grade school or middle school. Pinpointing dyscalculia signs is quite challenging. 

Check out for these dyscalculia symptoms grade wise –

Preschool Level

• Inability to coordinate number to a group of things

Example: Your child has brought five apples from a basket even if you have asked him or her to bring seven. Has it been happening for some time?

• Cannot sort items in order

Example: You have asked your child to organize books, pencils, notepads and he or she has been struggling to do so.

• Inability to recognize patterns

Example: You are asking your kid to organize objects from smallest to biggest, and they are failing constantly.

• Struggling to count numbers

Example: Your child is failing to understand the fundamentals of counting. They become confused when you ask them to bring three pens.

Grade School Level

• Finds it hard to harness basic math facts

Example: A kid might forget basic math calculations like 3+6=9

• Failure to identify the functions of the mathematical signs

Example: A kid could struggle to determine the differences between “+” and “–” signs.

• Finds it hard to calculate mentally

Example: Rather than doing the simple calculations mentally, i.e. 9-2=7, a kid could use fingers to count.

• Cannot comprehend the simple relations between numbers

Example: A child with dyscalculia might struggle to understand 9 is greater than 7.

The problems will rise exponentially as the child grows as he or she finds it hard to grasp the basic mathematics. If you see your child acting so despite putting much effort and concentration, he or she could be a victim of this disorder.

How to Help a Child with Dyscalculia?

First, you must not blame the child being negligent to his or her studies. You have to be patient in such drastic situations.

There can be several causes for a child to have this disorder but dyscalculia diagnosis is not that easy –

• Genetic issue
• Improper brain development
• Negligence of the mother during pregnancy, i.e. fetal alcohol syndrome
• Brain damage

Although, the experts and the doctors are not entirely sure of the true cause of the disorder. These are just mere speculations.

There is a strong link between dyscalculia and dyslexia as about 40% – 50% child affected with dyscalculia also have dyslexia.

As a parent, you should try following some helpful activities –

• Introduce multi-sensory teaching techniques
• Use software or apps that can help your child for studying
• Playing fun board games that can help a child with mathematical problem solving
• Always motivate and inspire your child
• Never say anything that can hurt their feelings or self-esteem
• Focus on other skills that your kid might have a talent for
• If possible, find schools (even homeschooling is a great option) or curriculum that can help a child with dyscalculia
• Personalized learning can be a life savior

Final Words

You shouldn’t feel disheartened if you see your child suffering from dyscalculia. If you feel shallow, it will make them feel even more shallow. You should always cheer them up and help them have a better perspective on life. Moreover, there are a lot of people with dyscalculia who are now studying at top-tier colleges as dyscalculia in adults is not rare. So, stay strong and keep supporting your child. 

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! Also, try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level! Try these spelling test words to master English spelling! Also, don’t forget to check the complete list of sight words, in case your child is struggling with 4th grade vocabulary words or 5th grade vocabulary words. 

Have you seen your kid unwilling to write from time to time? Maybe, you have ignored it thinking that it is just a phase, or he or she might just be slacking off. In reality, things could be much worse! Have you heard about dysgraphia before? It’s quite common to know about dyslexia, but not a lot of people are familiar with disorders like dysgraphia or dyscalculia.

In simple words, dysgraphia is a form of the disorder that hinders a person from writing fluently. Some may call it the “writing related dyslexia.” However, that would be a wrong definition. 

Of course, there are links and connections between dysgraphia and dyslexia, but they are completely different disorders.

So, today we shall try to discuss this disorder, how can you identify someone with dysgraphia, and what should be your roles as a parent or a teacher.

What is Dysgraphia: The Basic Fundamentals

If you dismantle the word “Dysgraphia,” you can understand the core nature of the disorder quite easily. The word is derived from two Greek words – Dys and Graphia. Dys means to “have any difficulty” and Graphia means “forming letters.” 

So, it is pretty clear that dysgraphia definition has to do something with “having difficulties forming letters.”

In no way, you should think that a child with dysgraphia is less intelligent or lacks motivation. They are not even trying to waste time by procrastinating. It is a condition that makes the process of transcription hard for a person.

There are different forms of transcription – handwriting, spelling, and typing. It takes a lot of focus and concentration for a patient to convey their messages in written form.

Though it may seem that is relatively slower than the peer in terms of thinking or being creative, the main problem lies within written expression and letter forming and nothing else.

Here is a list of activities that a child with dysgraphia would find hard doing –

• Arranging and forming letters to create words
• Deciding the proper amount to the spacing between the words in a page
• Maintaining a straight line while writing in a clean sheet
• Keeping the size of the letters uniform
• Difficulty to maintain a proper grip of the pen or the pencil
• Putting too much pressure on the paper while writing
• Maintaining a proper posture while writing
• Connection to other disorders like DCD or ADHD 

These can be said to be some of the basic signs that a person has dysgraphia. However, there are clearer symptoms and signs that we would discuss now.

Five Group of Dysgraphia Symptoms

Over the years, experts have identified five vital group symptoms that almost every child with dysgraphia has. It is not mandatory to have all the symptoms present in someone. Even one or two symptoms can be a crucial determinant. You could think of them as dysgraphia examples. 

Lack of Sense of Spatial and Visual Abilities

• Trouble finding distinction among shapes
• Cannot decide the proper amount of spacing between words
• Difficulty writing in the proper direction, i.e., left to right
• Cannot maintain writing within margins or boxes
• The inability of reading maps
• Difficulty in drawing shapes and images
• Slower writing

Inferior Motor Functions

• Cannot hold writing tools (pens or pencil) properly
• Holds different parts of the pen in an awkward manner

Difficulty Expressing Thoughts

• Slower typing and writing speed as they cannot arrange ideas and thoughts properly
• Difficulty understanding and following rules in a game
• Constantly getting lost in the train of thoughts
• Cannot remember what he or she was going to write in the middle of writing

Spelling Seems Too Hard

• Has a hard time understanding the rules of spelling
• Speaks the spelling perfectly but makes mistakes while writing it
• Might misspell the same word over and over again
• Cannot differentiate between right and wrong spelling
• Mixes up uppercase and lowercase letters
• Mixing of printing fonts and cursive fonts while writing
• Has a hard time reading the text he or she has written

Constant Grammatical Mistakes

• Misusing or not using punctuations at all
• Improper subject-verb agreement in the sentences
• Has an inferior or no sense of correct tense of the verbs
• Not finishing sentences like a list format

How Parents and Teachers Can Help?

There is a lot of modern solution that can help a child with dysgraphia these days. The first thing should be doing dysgraphia test to be sure. Then, you could think of different learning approaches. For example, traditional schooling might be not the best option for such cases.

Finding an Individualized Education Program (IEP) could be a great way to go for. If such programs are not available in your locality, going for the homeschooling is great too.

We, SpellQuiz have a great collection of homeschooling guide and personalized learning guide that would help you get started right away.

Even some schools allow oral examinations for special cases. In no way, you should think that your kid cannot get the benefit of higher education as there are numerous examples of people getting college and university education despite having dysgraphia or dyslexia.

The best suggestion for the parents would be motivating and encouraging their children so that they never feel that they are less than any other human. It is very crucial.

As a parent, you should keep a notebook to keep track of every notable incident so that doctors or experts can have a better insight while treating your child.

You can even try helping your child with different types of hand exercises such as finger stretching, squishing sponge balls, etc. before starting to write anything.

Lastly, never push them in any competitive situation where they feel weaker. Such activities can shatter their mental strength, and the mental strength is the biggest asset a child with dysgraphia can have.

Lastly, start focusing on other skills that your child shine in and love doing. If you can find any other talent, that should his or her primary target.

Final Words

Dysgraphia is a life-long disorder, and no one has found any cure to it. We know it would feel really tough seeing your child struggling with something as simple as writing. However, if you keep being sad, your child would get hurt even more. Try to be as compassionate and supportive as possible.

If you have any further question about the disorder and want to know more, let us know. We will definitely try to answer all of your questions and even can create an advanced guide on it. 

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! Also, try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level! Try these spelling tests to master English spelling!

SpellQuiz now has a wide collection of idioms and quizzes too. Also, don’t forget to check the complete list of spelling words.  

Being clumsy could be one of the most common human nature. Getting hit in the toe, tripping over, knocking over objects from a table are some of the things we all do. However, there is a fine line between being clumsy in general and having a disorder called Developmental Coordination Disorder or DCD in short.

As a human, we learn from our experience. For example, if we burn our hand once, our brains will try to estimate the safest distance from naked fire afterward.

It has a strong tie to the learning curve. However, a person with DCD doesn’t function in the same way. In most cases, they don’t learn from past mistakes or experiences.

So, if you see your child making the same mistake over and over again, there is a big chance that he or she is a victim of DCD.

We will try to get you familiarized with DCD in this blog, tell you the common symptoms, suggest you some ways to deal with it.

What is Developmental Coordination Disorder or DCD?

Let’s clear something first. Developmental Coordination Disorder is not something like the other learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia. Technically it is more the like a neurodevelopmental disorder. If you want to compare it, you can consider ADHD.

Developmental Coordination Disorder or DCD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition where the patient struggles to maintain physical coordination and lacks proper motor planning skills.

As we have said, kids cannot outgrow this condition. However, with better treatment and physical therapies, patients can certainly improve the situation.

However, you shouldn’t think that a child with DCD cannot move their body parts; they can. The problem is mostly linked to improper coordination of the movement.

Among the motor skill related issues, a DCD patient might face four kinds of problems –

• Fine motor skills – movements of the smaller part of the body like the movement of the thumb.
• Overall motor skills – movements of the larger muscles like the movement of arms or legs.
• Motor planning – remembering which muscle to move while walking
• Lack of coordination between the muscles

So, how do these issues impact the life of the patient?

We can see significant impacts of DCD in the regular life of the affected person. Some of the problems might be as follows –

• Trouble keeping balance
• Cannot change the movements as a normal human being in a new situation
• Instant movement of the body part
• Has a hard time learning new body movement
• Cannot assess the outcome of a particular movement
• Having a hard time coming up with a solution to the movement related problems

What are Common Developmental Coordination Disorder Symptoms?

It is quite clear that regular clumsiness and DCD are two completely different stories. As a parent how can you determine whether your child is casually clumsy or has DCD?

There are some specific symptoms a child with DCD might show age-wise.

Check them out –

A Preschooler

• Cannot hold plates, glass or other utensils properly
• Shows awkward movement while playing
• Bumps into objects constantly and getting hurt too often
• Cannot maintain a straight posture

A Kindergartener

• Holds a pencil, pen, or crayon in an odd way
• Messy handwriting, cannot keep the sentences aligned
• Has a hard time using the stairs or might trip too often
• Cannot button up a shirt or brash properly

A Middle-schooler

• Takes much longer to write something
• Cannot cut foods simply
• A messy eater
• Cannot draw basic geometrical shapes properly
• Problems with writing persist
• The constant bumps and trips continue

Although the experts aren’t sure of the true nature of the condition, they believe it could be genetical, premature birth, maternal alcohol or drug abuse. According to some recent studies, experts even guess that the condition is more common among male children.

Can Therapy Help?

The simplest answer would be – YES!

In fact, the best and primary Developmental Coordination Disorder treatment is occupational therapy. You cannot expect a DCD patient to cure like magic, but it can certainly improve the situations.

You should consult with the therapist about how should schedule the sessions. As the disorder is a lifelong condition, you should stick to the therapies as long as possible or act as the therapist suggests.

With proper therapy, your child can lead a normal life too. There are several examples of people with Developmental Coordination Disorder leading a quite normal life.

For example, pioneer scientist Einstein film star Daniel Radcliffe, business magnet Sir Richard Branson had DCD.

So, there is no way that Developmental Coordination Disorder can ruin the future of a person. You or your child should never feel shallow because of having DCD. With proper treatment, you can lead a very common life.

You can even enroll your child Individualized Education Program (IEP) as they have free occupational therapy sessions and have a much friendlier environment that helps a patient mentally. 

What Should be Your Role as a Parent?

You can be your child’s biggest support and strength in these hard conditions. The first thing you should do is to diagnose him or her as soon as possible.

You should never let them feel inferior or less than any other human being. Such an attitude might create a negative impact.

If possible, try to enroll your child in the IEP program. They have a great environment where your child can be stress-free.

We have some great guides on homeschooling and personalized learning. If you are a parent or teacher of such a poor child, you should go through these guides. 

Yes, you could choose the regular school for your child too. There is nothing wrong with it. However, your child could feel bullied in the regular ones, and that would damage his or her morale even more badly.

Always indulge yourself and your kids in such activities where his or her self esteem can get a positive boost.

A spark of confidence and self-esteem make all the differences while dealing with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! Also, try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level! Try these spelling tests to master English spelling! Also, don’t forget to check the complete list of spelling words.  

The English Language is hard, period! So, it is no wonder that when an adult is trying to either overcome illiteracy or trying their hand at English as a Second Language (ESL), they can become frustrated at any attempts they have in reading and abandon their goal at learning to read.

It is considered by many experts to be a hard language to master.  Many words can have multiple meanings. Some words are spelled the same yet pronounced differently. The fact that verb and noun order can be the exact opposite of Latin languages (Spanish, French, Italian, etc.) will baffle quite a few learners.

Even put up against the other Germanic languages like German and Dutch,  English can confuse even the most intelligent of adults.

And do not get me started on regional dialects and words.

We, at SpellQuiz, thrive to promote better English language learning environment. That’s why we present you the ultimate masterclass on English as a Second Language (ESL) so that you can learn English better and faster.   

English Illiteracy: Understanding the Current Situation

As I said in a previous article, there are many reasons that an adult is having trouble reading English, learning to read English or other difficulties with the English Language. 

For some, it is for the tragic reason that they slipped through the cracks of the US Educational system. They never learned more than the most basic reading skills. 

And for others, it could just be that they are learning the English language for the first time.  Learning to read, and applying that reading ability can be a long, arduous task.

That in no way suggests that it is impossible.

It merely means that how you approach improving your reading in the English Language will be different than a juvenile does.

So let’s cover some areas and ideas in conquering adult illiteracy!

 

Why is Learning English as a Second Language (ESL) Important?

Proficiency in English is a requirement to become a citizen of the United States.  Many people can be granted visas and begin the citizenship process with a less than firm grasp of reading the English Language. 

The problem with adults in any learning environment, especially one as fundamental as communication. Cultural backgrounds, pride, age, and a host of other issues come into play for the adult learner.

Kids love to learn most of the time.  The thought of learning new things are considered exciting to young learners. Being surprised thrills almost any kid.

Adults usually do not like surprises. Life has taught them that surprises are not always for good. For English as a Second Language (ESL) students, there are many roadblocks that adult learning to read the English language faces.

Some problems to consider are:

• being made to look stupid or foolish in front of others
• “losing face.” This can easily derail many trying to learn
• to appear “undignified.”
• failing, possibly again.

We can tackle each one either in a group setting or one on one environment. Just like child learners, there will never exist a “one size fits all” solution. Each student learning to read will offer different challenges and opportunities. This helps the new students learn languages easily. 

Depending on culture and circumstances, the learning environment and setting will have to be adjusted accordingly. Remember that the person you are helping may be a loved one; you might be researching for new tips in an English as a Second Language class you run; the possibilities are endless.

A hard Road Ahead

But remember this, to you, it is something you are helping with a problem. When you finish, you will go on to your next task. The next project.

To the person struggling with illiteracy and English as a Second Language, this is their life.

Learning to read will open up doors to their lives that you cannot even fathom or visualize.

Put yourself in their shoes.

I know that sounds condescending, but it is an excellent piece of advice.

Picture yourself learning a challenging new task. Picture how you mastered it, or how you would master it,

Try and remember all the frustration you faced. Think about how you overcame it. What tasks or shortcuts did you use or undertake?

Far too many times we try and be the teacher without having first looked at the world through the eyes of the student.

Use that insight to help others master reading the English Language.

This is the card that opens many doors

Learning the English Language: Tips and Tricks

Well, you have decided to help someone overcome their struggles with the English Language.

At this time, it is too early to say congratulations, or ask God to have mercy on your soul.

All joking aside, it is a little of both.

If you are a teacher of Adult Illiteracy or English as a Second Language, it stands to reason that either you are looking at new ideas and materials for your class; or, you have reached a brick wall with a student or a class.

Don’t fret; it happens to all or us. I taught High School in an Alternative Education Setting for a decade and there where many times that I became frustrated with the trials and tribulations of many students.

But do you know what I found out during those years?

Many discipline problems that had students sent to my class all had one or two things in common. 

They were reading and working on an elementary school level and were frustrated, or they were operating above a high school level and were bored.

Their level of education determined their participation in the classroom.

The ones reading and functioning on lower levels would act out to take the focus off the fact that they were not getting it. They felt if their peers did not see that they could not read, they would be faced with the embarrassment of being seen as stupid.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, students that think and act on levels above the class acted out for boredom.

Read More: A Comprehensive Guide to ESL Activities for Adults

So how does that help you?

Easy, you need to know what level of understanding that the person or persons you are helping are on. It is particularly true for learning English as a Second Language.

Now, you could bore the living heck out of them and give them a test to determine their level. At best here you stand the risk of frustrating your students and yourself.

So, the solution is to make it fun, make it challenging.

But most of all, make the person understand that this is not pass or fail. Make sure they know that this assessment will only help them.

Even better, do not let them find out they are being tested.

How do you master that, you ask?

That is a great question.

The answer is found with this simple question…

Would you like to play a game?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Fighting off English Illiteracy

Yes, I meant to leave you hanging after that revelation,

Its a bit cruel, but think about it; I am giving you just enough information to keep you interested. 

I am keeping the words I use and the phrases I use short and on a varying level. 

That way you are hanging on my words. Will my next sentence answer your questions? Will it push to the edge of revelation, and leave you hanging?

Or will you get frustrated and read something else?

That is the joys of language and the key to your teaching adults.

But, where were we, oh yes, playing a game.

On the main page here on SpellQuiz, there are several levels of spelling challenges. This is the perfect chance to not only have a little fun with the learner but to gauge where they are. 

Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today! This fun game is perfect for those aiming to participate in a spelling bee competition. 

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

Start at the very beginning of the modules in Grade One, and go on until the student is unable to go any further. Very soon, you’ll realize that you are capable of solving the harder spelling quiz for grade 9, or even the spelling quiz for grade 12. 

However, if you feel confident enough you can try the spelling quiz for adults. 

This does two things, one it gives you an idea of where the student is at in performance.

Second, the student will have a little bit of confidence-building.

Think about most games; they go from easy to hard. It is by design. If the games started out difficult, most people would not play them.  So the designers purposefully make them start off easy and progressively get harder.

Once the student cannot go on, that is the level you work on.

Just remember to avoid making the learner think that learning English as a Second Language is impossible. Otherwise, they won’t feel competent enough for the spelling words for adults. 

Once they think they cannot do it, they never will.

Image by Johann Lavandier from Pixabay

Reading and keeping it interesting

As I child, I was raised to love reading. To the point that I read just for the sake of reading. It has been unnatural to try and relate to someone who struggles with reading.

But that love was instilled as a child. While a child, most people are trusting and did things because a person of authority said it was needed.

Unlike children, adults need to know why they are learning something. 

What is the point of this?

Why do I need to know this?

How will I use it?

So your educational techniques for learning English as a Second Language should be centred around answering those questions. How do you show an adult that reading is necessary for their job?

What tools could you use?

To answer that question, you only need to think of one subject,

What everyday tasks or things benefit the adult?

Once you have the answer to that, you have the teaching methods for English as a Second Language.

Image by Johann Lavandier from Pixabay

Learning to Read

The actual act of learning to read by the adult will happen at different paces and with different tools for every adult.

An adult that is already literate in one language, but trying to master English as a Second Language will face different obstacles that a person that English is their first language and they cannot read at all.

Believe it or not, the one that cannot read at all will learn faster than the one learning English as a second language.

That is simply because the person learning for the first time will not have to unlearn grammar rules that exist in one language but is different in another.

So this presents several opportunities.

Show and Tell

Yeah, I know, show and tell is a cute game for Kindergarteners. 

But it can help adults too.

Picture this, every week, the person or people you are helping picks an article about a topic they read and discusses what is in the article. 

In this way, they have shared information about a subject that they find interesting. Nothing helps the self-confidence factor better than sharing wisdom.

Alternatively, they can share a book that they are reading. Now, this is something that the adult learner should be doing, reading.  The brain is a muscle and only improves as they use it. So ask that your students pick a book from their reading level and read it.

Once again, the idea of being able to share new found wisdom will only spur the learner to keep going.

Resumes, help wanted ads and tax returns. Oh My!

As I stated earlier, an adult wants to know what they are studying, why they need to know it, and how they can use it.

They will scoff at information that they feel they do not need or cannot use.

So this tactic shows them how they can apply their new knowledge. Bring in want ads, show them how to write resumes and fill out applications with the words and grammar that they are learning.

When they see how the words they learn advance their place in life and they will become dedicated students.

My dad as he learned to read, looked over automotive repair books. Remember this was the 80s and 90s when you did not need a degree in engineering to change the oil. He realized pretty quickly that he was lacking in his vocabulary and pushed himself to understand the words he was unfamiliar with. Try this vocabulary tester to understand your current skill level!

Mastering this, he saw how his ability to repair cars with greater ease helped him.

He could apply his new found knowledge to other fields and interests.

By the time he passed away in 2007, he had started reading for fun.

So, find what they want to get out of learning and show them how they master it.

Bring on the games

Like I stated earlier, games are a great way to improve vocabulary and literacy. The spirit of competition, whether against a computer opponent or another human, can force a person to improve their game. Word games would be one of the smartest ways to learn a language. 

Currently, on my phone, I have a crossword puzzle app and a word search app. I spend hours of free time pushing myself to beat the computer. I have even noticed that even as well read as I like to think I am, I have learned some new words.

In adult literacy classes and even some of the classes that I taught, Scrabble is a favourite. Not only is spelling a must, you sometimes will have to have an idea of the word meaning.

Even better, you can limit the game to using vocabulary terms that the class has already covered. This might be a great stress breaker or study session before a quiz or review.

Make the student keep a journal. This by far is one of my favorites.

The student will misspell practically every word in the beginning. They know they will and you will too. Here they can record their fears and their hopes on learning and life. Without realizing it their spelling will improve, their vocabulary will improve and one day they will thumb through the journal and realize that they have come a long way in their abilities.

I would highly recommend coming back to the SpellQuiz periodically. Especially when you think that the learner is starting to doubt themselves or hit a brick wall.

Once they start playing and go even further than they did before, it will pump up their self-confidence and push them to apply themselves even more.

These might seem like trivial things, but to a person thirsting for knowledge and skill, it is these little things that make the difference between success and failure.

Bringing it all together

Hopefully, you can take from this, a few ideas on how to help at least one person learn English as a Second Language (ESL). This simple knowledge will inspire a person to become bigger than they are. They will be able to read thoughts and observations from people hundreds of miles away and centuries in the past.

When you are helping someone to overcome a deficit that separates them from the rest of humanity. By giving them this gift, you also enrich humanity as a whole, you connect to the greater knowledge another voice that will add their voice to the cosmic fugue, and we all will be better for it.