Dear Parent,

Thank you for your question!

In some ways, it is encouraging that your 11 year old is writing phonetically, for that means he is using his skills to sound words out. However, he does need to learn correct spelling, too!

You can help your student transition toward better spelling, by providing plenty of consistent practice and drilling with his spelling words.

Here are some other activities that you could use, besides the drilling, that might help keep the interest level. For instance, you could buy different colored gel pens, so that your student could write words in different colors. One favorite activity with my students was buying alphabet letters made of foam. The students then spelled their words for the week, using the letters. You don't, of course, have to buy the foam letters. You could simply write the letters on index cards and use those to spell words. Another idea might be to pick a word for every day, from that week's spelling list. Your student could spell the word aloud, write it down on a card to put on the wall, write the definition and then use it in a sentence, or two. The more that your 11 year old interacts and works with the words, the more likely he or she will remember them.

Encouraging your student to read, will also help your child begin to recognize familiar words and their spelling.

Retention can be an issue for any student at any age. However, you can help them retain information through frequent exposure to the material, review and discussion. If they are learning about a country in geography, don't stop with a workbook page. Have them look the country up in the encyclopedia and tell you an interesting fact or two; tell them to find the country on a world map and tell you the capital. Check out and read a book about the country. Similar activities can be done with history.

Learning doesn't happen just in the classroom, but in everything that the students do. The more that you can help your student connect that which he is learning to real life, they see the purpose in their learning.

God bless you and your family!

Laura Nicholson