Using Mnemonics to Improve Spelling

Kylene Beers’ description of a tried and [not necessarily?] true spelling instruction method brought back memories of my own elementary days in the classroom learning how to spell.  “Get the list of words on Monday.  During the week, alphabetize the words and write them three to five times.  Write them in sentences.  Then, take the spelling test on Friday” (Beers 245).  Although not my teaching method of choice, I wondered before reading Beers’ book if I would sometimes have to resort back to this arguably dry approach.  Although I very much like the idea of word sorts to “discover a particular spelling pattern” – what about differentiating the spelling of homophones (Beers 251)?  What happens when words don’t fit neatly into a pattern or grouping?  How will I find more engaging ways to teach these words?

Beers’ suggestion to look for helpful mnemonics when talking about homonyms seems like at least one way to start thinking outside of the box.  Beers explains, “…many a student has remembered to spell the head of a school as principal because the last three letters spell pal” (256).   I think this memory trick is effective because it highlights the spelling of principal by linking it to another word with a similar spelling, in this case pal, and forming a bridge between the two – your principal is your pal.  I would take it one step further.  Saying the mnemonic aloud will make the connection in an auditory way – but I think it could also be beneficial to make explicit the image associated with a mnemonic device. 

I was talking with some classmates on Thursday about their use of PowerPoint in the classroom.  It was suggested that PowerPoint’s animations could help inject life in an otherwise dull topic.  Perhaps when talking about the mnemonic device for the spelling of principal you can incorporate some sort of animated cartoon of a principal high-fiving a student.  Or better yet, a funny picture of the principal of your school high-fiving a student might animate onto the screen.  This might help brand the mnemonic device onto a student’s memory – especially one who relies on more visual methods to learn.

  

Works Cited

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do:  A Guide for Teachers, 6-12. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2003. Print.