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Spelling Isn't a Scary Halloween Costume

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Spelling has always been the scary part of reading instruction.  It's always the thing we don't have time for because we are avoiding it at all costs.  People tell us spelling doesn't make sense or that learning to write is becoming obsolete with increasing technology to do it for us. In schools, teachers have focused less and less on spelling instruction.  Many schools even quit teaching it at all after third grade.  Parents whose children struggle to read are often in favor of ignoring spelling.  After all, there's spell check for that, right?  And memorizing those spelling lists each week seems like cruel and unusual punishment for a struggling child.  I've even heard professionals tell people that it's OK to ignore the spelling lists.  So let's talk about that. Get ready. I'm going to use the word " research ."  Brace yourselves.  I'll be brief so stick with me.  Here goes.  The research tells us that kids can more easily read