Bad spellers and other geniuses

For many years, there has thought to be a connection between those who violate spelling rules and those who are creatively gifted. Children who have difficulty spelling even easy words like "dog" and "cat" are often doing so, not because they don't know any better, but because they like the word better "their way." This mentality demonstrates an internal artist, one who is not content to do things conventionally or plainly.
Even so, bad spelling can be the bane of a parent's existence. It is disheartening, to say the least, to see papers returned with red marks all over them, or to receive notes from teachers suggesting improvement in the area of phonics or phonemic awareness.
Driving the artistic student to spell correctly is a lot like leading the proverbial horse to water: he or she won't necessarily "drink" from the fountain of spelling knowledge. To improve your child's spelling, a number of different techniques may be used that can prove fun and entertaining, if used correctly:
1. Sight word flash cards -- Used mostly in the primary grades, flash cards are a fun and engaging way of getting students to spell words with greater accuracy. Use the 5-second rule for beginners: allow them to view the word for a count of five, then hide the word and have them spell it back to you. Rewards may be given for each correct answer.
2. Technology -- Certain computer programs are now designed to assist students with spelling difficulties. You may wish to have your child type his or her papers using Microsoft Word or another program that has a spellcheck feature included, so that every time a word is misspelled, the error becomes both visible and fixable for the student.
3. Whiteboard "quizzes" -- Smaller whiteboards are inexpensive, and a great way to encourage student learning. One method to use with your child is saying words aloud, and having them write the word out on their mini-whiteboard. This way, even their errors can easily be erased and modified. As your child becomes more and more proficient with the language, their error rate will decrease, and their self-esteem will increase.

These are just a few strategies that parents and tutors alike may use to help the student who is struggling with their spelling. By following these and other techniques, even the worst of spellers or the most creative genius can find success in writing.