For use with Spelling with Memory Cues from Learning Abilities Books, http://www.learningbooks.net Although "Spelling with Memory Cues" is for all ages, "My New Spell Checker" is recommended for older children who would see the humor in it. This may be reproduced for classroom use only. All other rights are reserved. (Copyright 2004 Betsy B. Lee) School Visits

What Does Spell Check Know!

Spell check on the computer, phonics, and spelling rules
are important, but sometimes spelling checkers don't work.
Spelling with Memory Cues can help.

My Knew Spelling Checker
Copywrite 2004, Betsy B. Lee
Learning Abilities Books
www.learningbooks.net

My knew spelling checker does knot all ways no
sum of the write words two use.
It tolled me awl of these words were spelled write.
Ewe sea, eye halve a knew spelling checker own my pea sea.
It was maid to make my miss steaks plane four me two sea.
Did ewe find the blew sentences hard two read? Eye did to.
They did knot make good since.

Reading is improved when readers recognize words quickly. Even good readers have a little trouble reading the above passage but they can read it fairly well. Poor readers have great diffuculty with it.

Good readers use comprehension skills such as context and visual closure rather than just whole word recognition. See a reading specialist's article. Is Spelling Important?

You have permission to use this for classroom use only. Include copyright notice and the website. Ask students to circle the correctly spelled but incorrectly used words. There are great advantages to knowing Dolch sight words on sight (instantly).

All of the following words are used correctly.

My New Spelling Checker
Copywrite 2004, Betsy B. Lee
Learning Abilities Books
www.learningbooks.net

My new spelling checker does not always know
some of the right words to use.
It told me all of these words were spelled right.
You see, I have a new spelling checker on my PC.
It was made to make my mistakes plain for me to see.
Did you find the blue sentences hard to read? I did too.
They did not make good sense.

Here are some correctly spelled words which children might not recognize.

awl - n., a sharp pointed tool used for making small holes in leather or wood.
ewe - n., a female sheep.
halve - v.t., to divide in half. In golf, to complete a hole, round, or match with the same score as an opponent.
tolled (past tense of toll) - v.t., to cause to sound with single strokes. Example: The bell tolled three times.
- v.t., to collect tolls such as a payments for crossing a bridge. Example: Each car was tolled $1.00.