Anonymous wrote:Kids should memorize if they can, of course. English spelling isn't often not intuitive, unless you have a PhD in Indo-European etymology.

+1

My now adult daughter who is low vision learned to read by memorizing the words and spellings as she couldn’t focus longer than a second. If anything, the memorization practice was helpful when she went into stem.

Anonymous wrote:I don't remember how NT kids learn to spell, but don't they also have to memorize them, especially the common ones.

OP when spelling is taught right, memorization can be kept to a minimum. We don't know what spelling words your DC's school is assigning. If you want to know good practices for how spelling should be taught, Reading Rockets is a good resource.

Spelling: In Practice https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-101-learning-modules/course-modules/spelling/practice

Some of those words have a pattern - it looks like they are words with the vowel making the long sound because of the e at the end. Don’t have him memorize those words! They are regular! He should be sounding them out and using his spelling strategies. They may also be teaching some other long vowel patters (ee in green). So talk about long vowels and the way they sound and what makes the vowel say the long sound.

They is pretty much a learned word (ie memorization). But you don’t just say “memorize it!” The th is regular and predictable. Then teach that the long a at the end is spelled ey. Have him write out the word at least three times, naming each letter as he does.

I don’t know that I think these should be 1st grade spelling test words, but it is what it is.

Op here. He has IEP, so he is getting help on reading and writing now. Teachers are aware of it. He is still learning to decode to read, but I also suspicious that he sometimes just try to memorize the word pronunciation. I just want some fun and easy strategies to get him at least not marked wrong on many words. I see this week he has words like, same, line, stone, green, they, hide something like that.

In 1st grade all the spelling words should be regular, and should be practicing the phonics they taught that week. There should be no need to memorize. If he can’t sound out the word then that is the big flashing red light to get him help, probably with phonemic awareness. Whether or not he passes a 1st grade spelling test isn’t important. It’s the possible weakness that it is highlighting that is important.

Kids should memorize if they can, of course. English spelling isn't often not intuitive, unless you have a PhD in Indo-European etymology.

First grader has a spelling test every single week with 10 new words. He is still working on phonics and spelling, could be dyslexia. Putting efforts sometimes need a long time to see the results. Is it a terrible strategy to make him just memorize the word spelling or else he will screw all tests? I don't remember how NT kids learn to spell, but don't they also have to memorize them, especially the common ones.