Over the years there have been many approaches to teaching students how to spell. Presently most students learn either by writing in a workbook or by learning to spell through using technology such as instructional apps. While these may indeed be the most prevalent, does that mean they are the most effective? Andrew and Julie examine this question and others in podcast Episode 306.
When Andrew had younger children, he discovered through Anna Ingham and her daughter Shirley George a truly effective method of spelling instruction that eschews the more modern approach for one that harkens back to the one-room schoolhouse days. Self-checked, self-corrected, and self-paced, the approach mirrors how children were once taught to spell. Upon this foundation, Andrew worked with Dr. James Webster to design The Phonetic Zoo, a spelling curriculum that reflects the auditory and verbal approach that was once abundantly taught in American schoolrooms. To learn more about it, listen to the episode.
