English isn´t one of the easiest languages to learn to spell in I know. However I can assure you that if you learn the English alphabetic code, you will find it a lot easier and if you can couple this with a good memory then you will be well on your way to being a good speller.
English is an imperfect language and as such no one can totally rely on spelling sound by sound. The problem is that we don´t always spell words as we say them. Sometimes it helps to remember words in phonetic groups and sometimes it helps just to memorize the word. Take for example the word “sign”, if you were spelling this as you hear it, there is no way you would add the “g”. So in this case you have to memorize the picture of the word and emphasize the “g”. This way when you say the word “sign” your brain gives you a picture of the word with the “g” highlighted. When it comes to spelling the word, you can hear the “s”,”i” and “n” and the “g” is given to you in picture form.
I love sharing this secret way to spell wth my students, especially my dyslexic students, it make life so much easier 🙂
The secret behind being a good speller in my opinion is to know when to sound out words and when to use your memory, it is as much about sounding out a letter as it is about memorizing a word. And to have a good memory, you have to practice spelling. It is as easy as that 🙂
Here is a link to a great Alphabetic Code.
Enjoy learning English
your
Fiona