Category: Spelling

Is Texting Helping to "Dumb Down Society?"

4/30/2014

Hello everyone. Do you understand all the texting terms in the poster? I have to admit that some of them are new to me. Actually, I will message people on Facebook, but I do not text. LOL! Yes, I know. I may be considered strange now. (It wouldn't be the first time and probably won't be the last time.)
Why am I talking about texting on an education blog? This might not give me any brownie points, but I am not a fan of texting. The most important reason for my disliking it is that I think it is used while driving or working too much. It seems to come before safety and responsibility. However, the reason I am talking about it on this blog is that I also feel that it is helping to "dumb down society."
Spelling is not a subject that comes easy to all people. With texting so prevalent and these terms used so frequently, it seems like correct spelling is even more difficult to learn. Sometimes these abbreviations are just the first letter of every word in the term. This kind of makes sense. However, sometimes the terms don't make sense and confuse people trying to learn the correct spelling of the word. For example, "tomorrow" is abbreviated as "2moro." The "2" in the beginning to stand for "to" when the number "2" is actually spelled "two" is bad enough. However, the abbreviated form also has one "r" whereas the correct spelling has two and the correct word also has a "w" at the end. How can people be expected to learn the correct spelling if they see the texting abbreviation so often?
I can remember tutoring someone who was having trouble in spelling. The student's parent asked how the student could be helped at home with the spelling difficulty. One of my comments was to cut down the texting slang that is used around the student. However, it was so much a part of society and the family's daily life, the texting didn't stop and the texting abbreviations didn't stop. No wonder this student had a difficulty learning spelling. Sadly, it doesn't seem like correct spelling is appreciated or encouraged in today's world.
So, what do you think? Is texting helping to "dumb down society?" I would love to hear your thoughts.

3 Comments

An Old Time Reading Activity

10/30/2013

2 Comments

Hi everyone! Today I decided to recreate an activity page that I did for my brother years ago, when I was first teaching him how to read and spell. I was only like seven or eight at the time.
This is a simple match the word to the picture activity. It can be used as part of a spelling or reading lesson. Here I drew simple pictures. And, I mixed up the labels for the pictures on the right hand side.
Why did I choose to show you this activity? I did it for a few different reasons.
First of all, I did it to give you some insight as to the type of activities I used to teach my brother reading and spelling when I was a young child. Apparently a teacher gave me similar activity at one time. I enjoyed it, so I thought my brother would enjoy it as well. What a wonderful way to tell that it is an effective tool... have a child spontaneously give the same activity to her brother in "playing school."
Secondly, this activity is fairly easy to do. And, you don't have to be an artist in order to do it. When I was little, sometimes I would give blank squares and have my brother even draw the pictures. And, today, there is clipart that can be easily used at home. I did this in Photoshop, but back then I did it with pencil and paper. Sometimes, I would turn it into a coloring activity as well and have my brother color the pictures after he was done the matching.
Finally, this activity in an example of something that can be done together with your child. I had a homeschooling mom tell me once that she wanted to wait until she could buy a curriculum until she taught her children. But... there are things you can do without a curriculum. Learning doesn't always need a curriculum. Learning can be a spontaneous, spur of the moment sort of thing.
The point is... the most effective teaching is when you make the subject fun. It isn't the curriculum you choose. It isn't something that has to be complicated. Sometimes the motivation to learn is to spend some quality time with a loved one. You don't have to be perfect at teaching, just willing to try.

Please remember that you still have a chance to get a copy of Clarinda Cloud donated to your favorite elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor. I have already given the hint that this photo was taken in Franklin County, Vermont. Yes, "Clarinda Cloud" is on a tractor. The tractor is at a place that sells many pumpkins. Any idea where it might be? That is okay... even if you don't, please comment with the name of the elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor you would like to receive the book. (Please, U.S. addresses only at this time.) I will donate one, even if nobody knows the answer. Good luck! Thank you!

2 Comments

How Many Words in a Word?

6/26/2013

10 Comments

As I have said before, summertime learning is very important. Are you looking for a fun summertime activity to help reinforce spelling, reading, and vocabulary skills? I have one that can be done pretty much any time and any place. Get a piece of paper and put a word or phrase on the top. Then, have your children see how many words they can create using only the letters in that word or phrase.
There are many ways you can vary this activity. You can make it a game. If you have more than one child, you can see who gets the most words. Or, you can do it with your child and based upon age, you have to get double or triple, etc. the amount of words your child creates. Make sure to go over the words with your child and correct (or have your child correct) any spelling errors. That is part of the learning process.
I have used this activity in the classroom as an activity for students to work on if they finish their other work before others. I have also created an entire lesson around it. I have discussed strategies of getting the most words. For example, once you make a word, see if you can add different endings to it like "s," "er," or "ing." Or, another strategy might be to find all the rhyming words to the word you create.

Okay. Here is your challenge. I have a paper, shown to the left, that has the word "transportation" on the top. Using the letters in the word "transportation," how many words can you create? To make this even more exciting, I have another challenge. If you find the most words, you comment, and you have a friend (someone new) comment on the blog, I will send the book of your choice (one of mine) to the school or library of your choice. (Right now, I can only open this to United States' addresses.) Please make sure the person who comments is someone you think would enjoy the site. Thank you.

10 Comments

Is Texting Helping to "Dumb Down Society?"

An Old Time Reading Activity

How Many Words in a Word?

Jodi Desautels

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