It’s summer and summer for many kids means being free of school, although I see it as an opportunity for different types of education and experiences that kids can’t get in the traditional classroom. As you may know, I’m not in love with all aspects of traditional education as it currently stands, but I do think we need something with a structure to help educate our kids about certain things. One of those important aspects even in 2022 with all our digital technology tools is spelling and grammar.
It may surprise you given how much writing I do, but I don’t completely freak out over the occasional spelling mistake that I get in newsletters or emails, especially if it’s not a frequent happening from that person (there’s even one newsletter I subscribe to that consistently (read: every time) shows up with spelling and grammar issues, but it’s part of the appeal and definitely doesn’t detract from the stories that are shared). I get that we sometimes make mistakes and sometimes the words sneak in there without us catching them, and sometimes we think we clicked the spell change for the word but for some reason it didn’t take, which is why I don’t completely get upset about it. But I absolutely notice it, and so do so many other people (including too many who jump down people’s throats over it).
Why do people make a big deal over it? Because it is such a simple thing that makes such a big impact. I recently read a set of documents someone received from a well-known organization which had multiple grammar and spelling issues in each document. We’re talking a really big organization that one would assume is professional and yet not only was the content an issue the details were. Spell check is a support, a tool, but it does not replace the ability to have basic spelling and grammar skills.
So how can we make this better going forward? One of the things I think has helped me with my skills is my love of reading. So over the summer and even during the school year encourage your kids to pick up all the books, work with them on their spelling words, encourage them to do well on the writings they do for school, and expose them to lots of adult conversation (including history and science TV shows) so that they can pick up what educated conversations sound like. Also encourage them to take their time with polishing their work. I know it’s so tempting to get to the point of being done, but that last polish, that spell check, that second (or third) read through, can make all the difference. It’s not about perfection, but about putting your best effort forward and having that attitude towards the work you put out into the world. Think about polishing your words like the cookies you make for the December holidays: sure they’re tasty without any toppings or decorations, but when you add them, the cookies are much tastier or special. What has helped you with your spelling and grammar and do you encourage your kids in this area?