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Spelling… the band of some peoples’ lives and something that comes incredibly naturally to others. Either way, it is one of those things that you absolutely need to be able to do if you want to make the most of opportunities in life. If you are 50 then you may have found that you have had your opportunities limited if you cannot spell. If you are 15 then you may have thought that spelling was optional at school or found it really difficult and thus ignored teachers that tried to help you as a result. You would be surprised at just how many people fall into these categories but you are not on your own. In addition to that, it is never to late to do something about it.
No matter how old or young you are, it is important to learn how to spell properly for any number of reasons. If you are an adult then a lack of spelling knowledge could actually jeopardise any chance of getting a job that you really want if the employer has specific literacy requirements. If you are still at school then failing to learn how to spell properly could prevent you getting the grades you would like in exams. As such, it is a serious problem that you need to address… and it is never too late to do just that.
So just why is spelling so important? Well Barker and Moorcroft have the following to say about the importance of spelling: “Spelling is an important skill because it helps to create clear meanings in written English. Writers need to develop spelling strategies which they can use with confidence ? leaving them free to concentrate on producing ideas and arranging and constructing them.” (2002, p. 3). This may mean little to you now but if you continue through life without the ability to spell then you will find that it will limit you at every opportunity.
And no, using a spell checker on a computer is not the answer and absolutely does not excuse failing to learn how to spell properly. Why? Well, aside from the fact that using spell checker on computer is lazy, there is also the fact that it does not pick up every single mistake, does not recognise some of the words that we all use on a daily basis, may not actually correct a misspelling with the correct one and may even stop your work making sense. If this theory is applied to an essay then it could drag your grades down. If it applies to a professional letter then you will find that it does not make the correct impression and may either cost you a job or hinder your career.
Brown also states the following in relation to resources that people tend to go to for spelling help without actually taking the time to learn how to spell properly: “If you really want to be a better speller, you have to develop your own sense of whether your spellings are right or wrong. Computer spell checks or dictionaries and other people are all useful resources, but if you depend on them all the time you won’t get much better.” (2002, p. 78)
So what can you do to help to improve your spelling? Well, adopting a good step by step program to help you to get to grips with your spelling problems will help.
