Spelling and Sensory Learning Styles

Auditory

• Figure out if you already know a word from this word family (i.e. from the group of words that have parts that sound or are spelled the same). Then use this word as a key to remembering the new word: sleigh – neigh.
• Change the sound of the word by exaggerating what you have trouble with: lit er acy (don’t say litracy).
• Say the letters in rhythm: de le te.
• Make a tape recording of the words you want to work on. Say a word (and its meaning, if necessary), then leave a blank space on the tape to give you time to try spelling it out loud or writing it down. Then slowly say each letter in the word. Also mention any tricks that you have figured out to remember the word. Play the tape as often as you need to until you can write the words correctly.
• Pronounce the word and try to spell it phonetically. Slow down so every syllable is pronounced.
• Make up little sayings to remember the spelling: E.T. was quiet. You hear with your ear.
• Sing the word.
• Homonyms are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. They are especially difficult for auditory learners. Learn the spelling of homonyms separately and use them in context before attempting to use both in the same piece of writing or on the same spelling list.
• Break the word into syllables and spell each syllable separately. You can describe a syllable to your learner as the group of sounds between each drop of our chin.
• Mispronounce the word so that it sounds the way it is spelled: k nife.
• Read your writing out loud to help in proofreading.
• Make sure that you can hear the word correctly and say it correctly.
• Make up a sentence using the letters in the word to remember how to spell it (soar = some osprey always rise).