This method of learning spelling appealed to only one type of pupil, i.e., the pupil who learned by seeing. However, we know now that, although most children depend largely upon vision for what they learn, there are those who learn best by hearing the word spoken, while there are others who learn best by going through the motions of making the letters, either with the throat or the hand, and a large majority learn best by using all four processes.
To obtain the best results teachers are urged to give the pupils a chance to use all four processes, not for the purpose of testing their ability to spell, but as a method of learning. In this way appeal is made successively to the eye, the ear, the vocal organs, and the hand. All these taken together form associations which will be of great help in enabling the pupil to retain the correct spelling of the word. It gives the pupil a mental picture of the word through the sense that is best suited to him, besides giving all pupils the help of all the senses in fixing the word.
If the sense of hearing holds an important place in learning to spell then oral spelling becomes an important factor in the teaching and learning to spell. Oral spelling should always precede written spelling.
Written Spelling
Ability to spell a word means the carrying out of certain habits which have already been formed. If these habits are right then the word is spelled correctly. If children have not formed the right set of habits, if their pronunciation is wrong, if their mental picture is distorted, if imperfect vision causes them to see the word indistinctly, if their hearing is not normal, or if the coördination of the muscles is poor, any or all of these things will lead to the misspelling of a word. It is highly important, therefore, that the first impression which the pupil gets of the word shall be a correct one. That first impressions are lasting must be continually kept in mind. The method of teaching will help or hinder the getting of this correct impression.
Pronunciation and Enunciation
Assuming that every word in the spelling lesson is already long since in the child’s speaking vocabulary there should be no word in it that he cannot and does not pronounce correctly. However, there are some very common words too often mispronounced. The teacher should watch for these words and secure a correct pronunciation.
There is little chance for a boy to spell “kept” correctly, if he pronounces the word as though it were spelled “k-e-p.” In words of more than one syllable the form should be emphasized by syllabication, thus making certain that each syllable is pronounced. Of 155 pupils who misspelled “boundary,” 100, or 64.5% spelled the word they heard, namely “boundry.” This spelling was certainly caused by poor pronunciation. Syllabication makes the spelling more obvious, promotes clear enunciation, and assists in making a clear mental picture of the word. If the word is composed of two words, as “somewhere,” he sees more readily that the long word is only made up of the two short words with which he is already familiar. Throughout the book all words of more than one syllable are so syllabicated when first taught. It is unwise to require children to divide such words in a written spelling lesson.
Much time and much thought may wisely be given to the enunciation of children. Clear and accurate enunciation should always be demanded. Children strongly tend to spell as they speak. Slovenly enunciation will give inaccurate spelling.