Re: Poll: does spelling matter?

[Sharon Toll <SHARONT -at- LEONARDO -dot- LMT -dot- COM>]

Hear! Hear! Marjorie, who writes:

>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.


I DO BELIEVE SPELLING IS VERY IMPORTANT, however we must be able to balance
this with the removal of constraints that stifle creativity.  Without
creative thinking, we'll have nothing more to write about!

My son has also been taught the way Marjorie's children, and it has been
effective for him by allowing the creative process to flow
non-judgementally.  He then follows up with corrections and tweaking after
his ideas have been drafted.  Like Marjorie's daughter, he is also entering
fourth grade and I think he has a well-balanced approach to writing.






Sharon Toll

LaserMaster Corporation
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
<sharont -at- leonardo -dot- lmt -dot- com>