Spelling and the (almost) five-year-old

[LuckyMommaToo]

DS is obsessed with spelling. He's in the shower:
DS: "T-R-U-C. Is that how you spell truck?"
Me: "Wow, you got all the sounds."
DS: "Yeah, but is it EXACTLY right?"

Repeat all day. I'm not sure what to do. I'm a copy editor, so I'm thrilled he's interested in the correct spelling (although this has come totally from him and I'd never push this sort of thing), but I hate to keep telling him he's wrong.

Any thoughts on how to handle this?

thanks,
-e

[MusicianDad]

Well since he's asking if he's right, maybe you could just gently guide him into figuring out what the right spelling is.

like...

"Almost, do you know what letter can come after C to make the same sound?" sort of thing.

[amcal]

It's funny but we just had curriculum night for my DD's kindergarten and they addressed this issue. They said to do exactly what you're doing. Instead of spelling it for them, ask them what sounds they hear. Just exactly what you're doing. And then if they ask if they've spelled it right then go ahead and let them know that there are letter sounds that can be challenging to hear and to let them know the correct spelling.

Sounds like you're doing it just right

[dentmom3]

I had this issue with DD last year and it drove me nuts! There I was trying to make sure she just enjoyed spelling and learning to read without correcting her all the time - and all she wanted to do was get it exactly right!!!!

And then she spoke to my SIL, who teaches K. SIL told DD that K spelling is all about the sounds not about every letter. DD was still a little suspicious, but started to calm down about it. Then came her K teacher, and DD took her word as gospel. When Mrs. S explained 'sound spelling' to DD she leapt on it and hasn't looked back. Seems like DD needed to hear it from someone else. I am now hoping that DD will explain sound spelling to DS when he is almost 5 - since it seems no one will take my word on it!!!!!

[LuckyMommaToo]

Sounds like you're doing it just right

Thanks! How often do we hear that?? :

And I like the idea of "sound spelling." Now I just have to figure out who I can recruit to explain it to him! Because I'm sure like you, dentmom, DS will never take my word for it.

thanks,
-e

[milehighmonkeys]

It sounds like you're meeting his needs. I don't think there's really anything more you need to do.

[velochic]

My dd was doing the same thing and I only helped when asked. Ball was spelled "b-o-l", like was spelled "l-i-k", etc. and I simply told her that she was doing a great job sounding things out. We are a multi-lingual family and the other two languages dd has are phonemic, so all these rules of English... I wasn't even going to try to touch at the beginning. There are far too many exceptions in English to expect kids to pick up every rule from the beginning. Eventually (around 6 years old) she starting really paying attention to the "rules" of English. Spelling in the other two languages has been much easier for her.

I think you are doing just fine. If he asks, give the info, otherwise getting a "one letter, one sound" correlation such as in phonemic languages is a great way to begin spelling in English.