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Spelling It Out: How Words Work and How to Teach Them
Spelling can be a source of anxiety for school children and working professionals alike. Yet the spelling of words in English is not as random or chaotic as it is often perceived to be; rather, it is a system based on both meaning and a fascinating linguistic history. Misty Adoniou's public articles on the processes of teaching and learning spelling have garnered an overwhelming response from concerned parents and teachers looking for effective solutions to the problems they face in teaching English spelling to children. Spelling It Out aims to ease anxiety and crush the myth that good spelling comes naturally. Good spelling comes from good teaching. Based on Misty Adoniou's extensive research into spelling learning and instruction, this book encourages children and adults to nurture a curiosity about words, discover their history and, in so doing, understand the logic behind the way they are spelled.
160 pages, Paperback
Published October 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 7, 2017
It sounds like the world's most boring book but the fact I knocked it over in a day suggests how engrossed I was in it. It's a humbling book, highlighting the fact that even experienced teachers have much to learn. The text highlights issues with the ways most schools approach spelling but it is far from being a negative text. In fact, Adoniou offers so many ideas that i was left spoilt for choice regarding what to do upon finishing. She writes clearly and succinctly. Whilst the issues she is confronting are academic and complicated, her efficient writing style meant that many areas were cover in an uncluttered, accessible fashion.
I would argue that this book be considered compulsory reading in all teacher training institutes. Adoniou's concerns relate not just to spelling in the subject of English but rather the responsibility for all teachers to approach spelling in an informed and sympathetic fashion.
I would argue that this book be considered compulsory reading in all teacher training institutes. Adoniou's concerns relate not just to spelling in the subject of English but rather the responsibility for all teachers to approach spelling in an informed and sympathetic fashion.
July 20, 2020
This book was assigned as a third year text on teaching spelling to primary school children. I'm hoping the course is able to shed light on why I seem to have such a divergent view on this book (compared to other views).
Some elements are interesting and useful but this does not balance the verbose, dramatic, unprofessional, and contradictory style of the author.
Positives
The main theme is “It is the etymology and morphology of words that explains the orthography and phonology of words”. Students should be taught more then phonology; Which is actually what happens in Australian Schools, so I’m confused about the point Misty is trying to make.
Other interesting elements of the book include ‘a brief history of the English language’ and brief summaries, with examples, of etymology, morphology, orthography, and phonology.
Negatives
+ Misty has a strong and aggressive dislike toward phonology. This adds a negative tone to the text which is not pleasant and is unnecessary.
+ There is an overall tone of ‘the system’ failing students throughout the book. With little ‘qoutes’ about how parents are lost and don’t now what to do. With Misty being portrayed as the saviour of their spelling woes.
+ The text is overly verbose, dramatic, and unprofessional. Comments such as “Although spelling is not related to intelligence, spelling errors are an easy target for others to snigger at.”. What’s the point of this comment?
+ There are claims that are not supported (Such as “All students, but particularly those who are low-achieving spellers, are best served by strategies attached to meaning”). And there is inference to anecdotal evidence throughout (such as the ‘stories’ at the start of the book; One of which begins “Marie writes of her daughter’s experience….”)
+ Many of her examples just don’t seem to support her point. An example is the story of ‘wh’ in the English language. In which she explains the history of how the silent h gets there. Interesting? Most definitely; Improves my deeper understanding of English? Maybe; Helps me learn to read, write, and spell? I’m not convinced. Misty herself notes the importance of sight words (which wh words are) in the books Scope and Sequence Annex. There is no reference to studies (it appears to be Misty’s opinion backed by anecdotes) and I’m not convinced that a story of ‘when’ evolving (such as ‘hwen’ -> ‘wenne’ -> ‘when’) assists an early primary learner.
+ The text is not coherent. At the start, Misty rails against ‘rote learning’ and ‘phonology’ but then near the end of the book explicitly highlights the need to teach children sight words.
+Many statements are broad generalisations that are not clarified or the intention needs to be inferred by the reader. Such as “The words we choose to teach for spelling are less important than way we teach them”; I’m left inferring the philosophical principle Misty is trying to convey or making an assessment that I don’t want to be taking advice from someone who thinks this is a valid comment.
Summary
If your reading this as a professional educator, you may get some ideas and a fresh view on ways to assist children in spelling. But you will need to wade through a lot of chaff for those gems and an undercurrent of dislike for ‘the system’.
If you’re a parent, don’t bother. The first half of the book leaves you with a very negative view of the ‘the system’ and then goes on to outline the exact things that the Australian education system does do to teach children English. It’s contradictory at best and harmful at worst.
Some elements are interesting and useful but this does not balance the verbose, dramatic, unprofessional, and contradictory style of the author.
Positives
The main theme is “It is the etymology and morphology of words that explains the orthography and phonology of words”. Students should be taught more then phonology; Which is actually what happens in Australian Schools, so I’m confused about the point Misty is trying to make.
Other interesting elements of the book include ‘a brief history of the English language’ and brief summaries, with examples, of etymology, morphology, orthography, and phonology.
Negatives
+ Misty has a strong and aggressive dislike toward phonology. This adds a negative tone to the text which is not pleasant and is unnecessary.
+ There is an overall tone of ‘the system’ failing students throughout the book. With little ‘qoutes’ about how parents are lost and don’t now what to do. With Misty being portrayed as the saviour of their spelling woes.
+ The text is overly verbose, dramatic, and unprofessional. Comments such as “Although spelling is not related to intelligence, spelling errors are an easy target for others to snigger at.”. What’s the point of this comment?
+ There are claims that are not supported (Such as “All students, but particularly those who are low-achieving spellers, are best served by strategies attached to meaning”). And there is inference to anecdotal evidence throughout (such as the ‘stories’ at the start of the book; One of which begins “Marie writes of her daughter’s experience….”)
+ Many of her examples just don’t seem to support her point. An example is the story of ‘wh’ in the English language. In which she explains the history of how the silent h gets there. Interesting? Most definitely; Improves my deeper understanding of English? Maybe; Helps me learn to read, write, and spell? I’m not convinced. Misty herself notes the importance of sight words (which wh words are) in the books Scope and Sequence Annex. There is no reference to studies (it appears to be Misty’s opinion backed by anecdotes) and I’m not convinced that a story of ‘when’ evolving (such as ‘hwen’ -> ‘wenne’ -> ‘when’) assists an early primary learner.
+ The text is not coherent. At the start, Misty rails against ‘rote learning’ and ‘phonology’ but then near the end of the book explicitly highlights the need to teach children sight words.
+Many statements are broad generalisations that are not clarified or the intention needs to be inferred by the reader. Such as “The words we choose to teach for spelling are less important than way we teach them”; I’m left inferring the philosophical principle Misty is trying to convey or making an assessment that I don’t want to be taking advice from someone who thinks this is a valid comment.
Summary
If your reading this as a professional educator, you may get some ideas and a fresh view on ways to assist children in spelling. But you will need to wade through a lot of chaff for those gems and an undercurrent of dislike for ‘the system’.
If you’re a parent, don’t bother. The first half of the book leaves you with a very negative view of the ‘the system’ and then goes on to outline the exact things that the Australian education system does do to teach children English. It’s contradictory at best and harmful at worst.
January 4, 2019
Misty Adoniou writes and speaks with a passion for writing. She makes it so clear the ways in which we have become deficit in our teaching.
This book is a manual for how to teach it right. Away with spelling tests!
This book is a manual for how to teach it right. Away with spelling tests!
July 30, 2016
After reading Misty's book I feel more confident teaching spelling. I particularly liked the inclusion of word histories. Chapter 3 does a great job illustrating the importance of meaning in the teaching of spelling! I would recommend this book to all teachers!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews