Does it matter that dd2 (year 1) can't spell for toffee?

[PoorOldEnid]

she is a v good reader and v bright generally but her spelling is terrible - mainly because she writes so much and so quickly she clearly isn't thinking about spelling at all

the teacher doesn't seem bothered

[suzywong]

no
toffee is bad for her teeth
it is not right to exchange high sugar foods for academic achievements

[singersgirl]

I'm sure she'll learn to spell, but maybe Ms Wong is right that it should be for something healthier.

It's great that she's writing a lot quickly and far more important that she isn't scared of writing stuff she can't spell - some children are. DS2 [smug advanced child emoticon, link to advanced child thread etc] is preternaturally good at spelling, but DS1 was pretty haphazard back then for similar reasons. Mind you, I still think DS1's spelling is not all that, but school says it's good.

Perhaps school standards are very low and we should still worry....

[NotQuiteCockney]

Um, she's in year 1, and she writes lots. Be happy.

Seriously, DS1's spelling in year 1 was deeply creative and weird, and now in year 2 it's starting to settle down, he's starting to notice how things are spelt.

[PoorOldEnid]

they dont seem to care at all about spelling and it does concern me tbh

arf at sweets etc

[NotQuiteCockney]

If you ding them for bad spelling, it will discourage her from writing. Let her charge ahead this way, it'll sort itself out. (Reading more will sort her spelling, too.)

[Blu]

No.
Emergent spelling is a natural stage in learning to write. The school will slowly start to incorporate words to concentrate on - and it will fall into place.
Most Yr1 children have 'terrible' spelling. Apart from anything else they are using the phonic rules they have learned in order to read - tricky, in English.

[Cappuccino]

no it doesn't

go dust down the backs of your radiators

[PoorOldEnid]

lol

good feel reassured now

its just that i had such a nightmare with dd1 (still do sometimes) am paranoid that dd2 will also struggle

mad as she is v bright really

[Cappuccino]

wait till Yr3 and the spelling worksheets start coming home

phone = phoning

shop = shopping

and you will realise what a nightmare it all is and wonder how you even manage to remember it yourself

I mean i-g-h-t

i - g - h - t

who thought that one up?

[singersgirl]

Many of the teachers at the DSs' school don't seem that hot on spelling. One of DS2's Y2 teachers last year told me that she couldn't make any mistakes with him in the class because he always pointed them out to her. and [unreconstructed pedantic mum gloating at apple not falling far from tree].

[Niecie]

Golly, DS1 couldn't even read at the beginning of YR1 (he caught up very quickly in YR 1 I hasten to add), let alone spell anything.

Too soon to worry imo.

Teachers don't seem to worried about spelling in written work as they don't want to spoil the creative flow apparently. Not sure about this idea but there is plenty of time for proper testing and learning.

[Zazette]

lecturer here, I train people who will teach English, and can confirm that there is absolutely nothing to worry about, and nothing to be gained from hassling a fluent writer about spelling at this age.

[PoorOldEnid]

[reassured]

[proud of dd2 again]

[Smithagain]

I posted the same question a year ago. I noticed the other day that DD1 is suddenly spelling a lot better, a couple of weeks into Year 2. I think her reading has taken off so much that it is now easy, so she is beginning to notice how things are spelled for herself.

I still think it's amazing that they ever get the hang of this crazy language, though. I mean, just look at the spelling of language?!?!?

[Pushpinia]

Ds is same age, can't read, can only just write his name...he'll get there and so will she.

[mimsum]

dd(5) who's just started Y1 was happily writing a note to the tooth fairy the other day and told me proudly "it's ok, I know how to spell toof" and she did

[PoorOldEnid]

she writes little stories every night in bed and it gets embarrassing when I can't always decipher them!

[PoorOldEnid]

fish!

[ingles2]

I wouldn't worry Enid, DS1s spelling was appalling until recently and then all of a sudden I noticed it was really very good. He'd never had spelling homework but is an avid reader, they pick it up eventually.

[PoorOldEnid]

dd1 (nearly 9) will LOVE that

[singersgirl]

As a pedant, I should point out that 'gh' never represents the 'f' sound at the start of a word, and that 'ti' never represents the 'sh' sound at the end of a word. So you according to English orthographic principles that word would not be pronounced 'fish'.

I do have a sense of humour, honest!

[singersgirl]

Sorry - typo in penultimate sentence - redundant 'you'.