Ridiculously poor spelling in my 12yo... Thoughts/input please

[Mackenzie]

I'm trying to figure out what is going on with my 12yo and her spelling. It doesn't (obviously anyhow) affect anything else. Her math and reading skills are fine but when she writes, she conveys her points fantastically. She really is an engaging writer but her spelling is horrible. Its a mixture of leaving out letters, misordering pretty obvious letters (like if she were to write the word "swap" it would likely be "sawp") and adding completely random letters (adding an "n" in swap). Her hearing was fine at her last test and has not told me of a decline (and she will let me know about vision, so I assume she would hearing). I really don't know what it could be. I looked at dyslexia but she doesn't have many of the other symptoms listed... I'm pretty baffled here.

[nextcommercial]

My 18 year old daughter is HORRIBLE at spelling. Obvious words that she should know. She can't spell at all.

Yet, somehow, she's been in all honors language classes. I asked her twice when she brought home the permission slip for honors writing. "Have they actually seen your spelling?".... "I mean... really? How low have they set the bar for honors language?". She just rolled her eyes and shoved the paper at me.

The school thinks she's brilliant. So, apparently having spell check on her computer makes a big difference.

The other day, she was texting and asked me how to spell "hope".

[Mackenzie]

Not sure if you were trying to but that made me feel loads better... Lol

[ellemenope]

I am facebook friends with my little cousins. None of them can spell. I almost think it is like 'cool' to make up your own way of spelling things.

tommorow, genious, belive eventully, turnament, serching etc. (It pains me to write these out)

They also 'like' to transpose doubled vowels (said/siad) and double consonants at the end (funn).

I attribute it to texting, spellcheck, and apathy.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I read a ton always have and have no trouble reading words and can tell when they are spelled wrong but for the life of me I cant correct it 9 times out of 10. If it wasnt for spell check in my firefox browser this post would be full of typo's

[Magelet]

when I was a kid, I couldn't spell if it was worth my life. Now, I mostly spell just fine, and what I can't spell, spell-check catches, (like tomarrow. I ALWAYS spell it wrong but it doesn't look wrong and I only know because spellcheck puts it's little red line under it.). I definitely spell better, no idea when or how I learned. I guess just reading and writing. And given that we DO live in a world where everything is typed and spell check exists, it really doesn't hamper me at all as an adult. (I'm 20, so it's not like it took me that long to mostly outgrow it).

I think the reason I never focused much on spelling is that I've always been more focused on communicating at a high level than at perfection of language. When I was learning french, what was important to me was that I quickly acquired enough language skills to get my point across in a conversation and be understood, not that my spelling was correct, or I had the correct tense or gender. The details didn't seem to matter.

(I also know my DP's sister (same age as your DD) spells in much the same way. Abysmally. But I think the reason she spells that way is it is sufficient to get her point across in the world she lives in (a pre-teen internet culture). I hope and suspect that as she moves into the adult world she will realize she needs to have better spelling to get by, and will acquire either sufficient spelling, or regular use of spell-check. I did mostly.)

[MusicianDad]

One name for you...

Neils Bohr.
He is considered one of the most influential doctors of modern physics. He was such a poor writer that he wrote drafts for writing letters to his friends. He dictated his dissertation to his mother to write down and had an assistant do most of his writing for him. He was also a genius and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

[CherryBomb]

My 9 year old really struggles with spelling. She reads almost 2 grade levels ahead, but can't spell to save her life. She does the same thing, rearranging letters, leaving letters out, adding in letters that totally shouldn't be in there. Makes me crazy! I was always a very good speller, so I don't get it. I homeschool her and we really have to spend a lot of time practicing her spelling list for the week for her to be able to do decently on it.

[fairymom]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

I read a ton always have and have no trouble reading words and can tell when they are spelled wrong but for the life of me I cant correct it 9 times out of 10. If it wasnt for spell check in my firefox browser this post would be full of typo's

This is me too! AND my 11 yr dd! We've just started online school and Dh and I think I should add spelling to her list of extra school work so she can learn even the most commonly used words- ie could, have, etc.

[Mackenzie]

Originally Posted by CherryBomb

My 9 year old really struggles with spelling. She reads almost 2 grade levels ahead, but can't spell to save her life. She does the same thing, rearranging letters, leaving letters out, adding in letters that totally shouldn't be in there. Makes me crazy! I was always a very good speller, so I don't get it. I homeschool her and we really have to spend a lot of time practicing her spelling list for the week for her to be able to do decently on it.

Thats exactly it. I never had real trouble with it so I have nothing to relate to. The same when she did have trouble reading. Coming out of second grade, she could hardly read. I could not relate at all because I started reading around 3-4 and never had trouble. That is when we started homeschooling and now her reading skills are way above par. She is back in public school now, having just started her second year back, and part of me worries that they will blame homeschooling for her lack of spelling skills, not that I really care, but still.

Your stories helped me feel more comfortable with it though. We have armed her with a good dictionary and she is getting used to using it (the whole not being able to spell thing kinda impedes that... lol) and have been teaching her how to look up words online and use the spell check on the computer (she is not doing chatspeak stuff at all...no ur and gr8 or anything....) so hopefully it won't be as noticeable with her schoolwork...

[mtiger]

Originally Posted by Magelet

(like tomarrow. I ALWAYS spell it wrong but it doesn't look wrong and I only know because spellcheck puts it's little red line under it.).

Uuuummm... not so much. Unless you left it that way on purpose.

[jem1976]

My Mum (who's 65 btw) is an awful speller. Something that has helped her to greatly improve is doing crossword puzzles, maybe if your DD likes puzzles you could encourage her to do some. HTH

[laohaire]

I didn't see any mention of whether she's handwriting or typing? That could make a big difference.

[Mackenzie]

Originally Posted by laohaire

I didn't see any mention of whether she's handwriting or typing? That could make a big difference.

Either way... Though the end result of typing is better because she had been taught how to use spell check...

[Devaskyla]

Maybe she has dysgraphia?

[Ann-Marita]

I thought of dysgraphia, too. It's like the information going IN is fine, but when they try to make it go OUT, everything gets twisted.

[Chamomile Girl]

I am a terrible speller...I always have been. I don't get the big deal about spelling things properly. Really the English language was only standardized fairly recently. Before that all vulgate (English) writing was done phonetically. So just because some yob decided receive had to be spelled thus (instead of reeceve or whatever) I get (traumatised) traumautized whenever I need to write it on the board. And don't get me started about what that semester abroad in England did to my spelling!

Anyways, I am still a poor speller and I am also pretty dern well edumacated (teaching credential, master's degree). So spelling has very little to do with smarts or learning.

[Magelet]

Originally Posted by mtiger

Uuuummm... not so much. Unless you left it that way on purpose.

yeah. I saw the spellcheck line and left it.

[wookie]

I don't get the big deal about spelling things properly. Really the English language was only standardized fairly recently. Before that all vulgate (English) writing was done phonetically. So just because some yob decided receive had to be spelled thus (instead of reeceve or whatever) I get (traumatised) traumautized whenever I need to write it on the board.

Fwiw, spelling may not be related to smarts etc. but I shudder to think how anything would happen in this modern world we live in were it not for standardised spelling. I coulnt even reed the newspapuh if everyvun was ryeting az they whished.

[Mackenzie]

Originally Posted by Devaskyla

Maybe she has dysgraphia?

Originally Posted by Ann-Marita

I thought of dysgraphia, too. It's like the information going IN is fine, but when they try to make it go OUT, everything gets twisted.

I'm not sure... from what I have read in the past and what is on that link...
The words themselves never get jumbled, just letters of individual words and her fine motor skills have never been a problem at all...