Kin U Spel??

Educational theories and practices seem to come and go. Teachers with experience usually say if you stay in education long enough you will see all theories and so called " best practices" recycled one or more times. I am not sure that some practices are always in the best interest of the education of youngsters although there are people who would gamble all of their earthly goods to make us believers.
Such was the theory and practice some years ago that we should do away with Spelling books, Spelling tests, and anything that emphasized correct spelling. Spelling was to be taught in the context of the learning rather than as a subject in and of itself. So....teachers were pooh-poohed if they held onto the old practices of Spelling lists and tests. Trash talking pooh-pooh, I mean --- bad stuff. Soon it became acceptable to teach Spelling IF it was taught with a skill such as with blends, phonics, and the old rules we all learned.
But some teachers remained convinced lists and tests were the way. Others believed it but were too chicken to let it be known. The result of the debate was that teachers ceased to emphasize spelling skills out of fear of being caught. More and more the emphasis once applied to spelling was allowed to slip. It wasn't difficult to let it go due to testing and assessment pressure being applied in other areas.
When I read entries written by young people today on Facebook and other places I am sharply reminded and acutely aware of how we are reaping the benefit of the lack of instruction of correct Spelling to students today. We have failed them in a very important academic area.
Their spelling is atrocious.