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Subject:Re: Poll: does spelling matter? From:Marjorie Schejter <mschejte -at- MELMAC -dot- COAT -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 15 Aug 1994 13:27:52 EDT
>If you'll drop me a line with agree-disagree answers to the following
>questions, I'll post the results on the list. Please feel free to
>include additional commentary.
Chuck,
I don't have the time right now to answer the specific questions you posed,
but I do feel spelling is important. While I recognize that some people have
a problem with spelling, there are appropriate resources (i.e., dictionary,
spell checker) available.
My children went to an elementary school which encouraged "inventive spelling"
in order to promote creative writing. In order to promote proper spelling
they promoted lots of reading as well as straight memorization of spelling
lists with weekly quizes. Also, before a child's story was "published" and
bound, the spelling was corrected. The children were told that spelling and
grammar are important, but don't worry about it when writing a draft. Later
they would edit and correct their own and their classmates writing. My
daughter is going into fourth grade and seems not to have a problem with all
of this. She also knows how to use a dictionary.
