How go you get an 8 year to remember spelling words?

Question

My 8 year old has spelling test one a week - but they are homonyms (words that sound the same but spelled different (example: pause, paws) . How do I get her to remember these?

Answer 1

Writing them out several times can help memory, but only when you already know the difference. Personally I would try making some flashcards. On one side write the word and put a picture of whwt it represents or something you associate it with (eg a pawprint for paws) and on the other side write a sentence with the word in. Once she's got used to the meanings of the words, writing them out both alone and in new sentences should help her remember them.

Answer 2

Repitition is one method. Like the joke says:
A tourist in New York asks a cop,"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The cops replies with an isn't-it'obvious look on his face, "Practice, practice, practice!!"

Anyway, for me learning has always been easier than memorizing--that's why physics and chemistry were a cakewalk and I could never "get" biology. Have a dictionary handy and look up the words as they are introduced. Try to visually associate the words with what they are instead of just how they're spelled. For paws: the things at the ends of the dog's legs (or any animal). For pause, imply somehow that it is stopping or interrupting something. I always found if I could see what the word means in my mind, I was also able to see in my mind the proper spelling for the word.

In case reading the dictionary seems boring, just promote reading in general. And, have a dictionary handy when reading a book which might have new words in it.

Answer 3

Have him/her write them out in short sentences. If there are particular problem words, depending on their length, make up silly sentences for them, for example the word "recipe" would become the silly sentence "Rear End Crashes Invite Pie Eating." Spend time with him/her, and on the toughest words have him/her make up their own sentences with correctly spelled words.

Answer 4

the trick to remembering for me was this:
have the child write each spellling word 5 times
then have the child write it in a sentence 5 times

Answer 5

i used to look at a word list for about 5 minutes, then my mother would quiz me. it's pretty basic, and everyone is probably thinking 'how does that do anything?' but i promise you. writing the word puts it into muscle memory. seeing the word memorizes the letter order and spelling.

Answer 6

Make anagrams. This worked wonders for my brother

For example: Bicycle
Big Idiots call you...just so happened his initials are cLe, but you get the picture

Answer 7

have them write it over and over again in the same spot using different colored markers/colored pencils. also, you can use flashcards if the point is to help them remember the actual meaning of the word.

Answer 8

have the child write each word 10 times and then make a sentence for each word....

Answer 9

get him or her to read more, don't worry about spelling, that will come later, I mean 8 is still very young

Answer 10

it took me a few minutes to realize what you were even asking! all i can say is practice and study... it worked for me when i was 8