No matter how you look at it, success in spelling leads directly to success in our overall use of the language. Spelling matters.

Developmental Matters (also see Research)

• Spelling Unlocks Words. Independent reading and writing skills are totally reliant on a student’s depth and confidence with words. Multiple strategies are the key. Spelling is a vital part of the process by which students “unlock” words.
• Spelling Reveals Pronunciation and Meaning. Strong spellers understand the phonological structure of words and the meaning of word parts.
• Spelling Supports Reading Comprehension. Spelling skill goes hand in hand with efficient word decoding and solid reading comprehension.
• Spelling Supports Effective Writing. Because confident spellers are adventurous with language, they are able to create richer more persuasive essays.
• Strong Spelling Brings Kids Closer to Words. Extra attention given to spelling raises a student’s awareness level of all their language arts activities. Simply stated, strong spelling brings kids closer to words.

Practical Matters

• Projected Image. Spelling is part of one’s projected image. Like it or not, it is one of the means used by society to judge a person’s literacy.
• Reference Work. Weak spelling can turn reference work into trauma. Parents and teachers hear it all the time: kids don’t want to look things up in books. Indexes, phonebooks, encyclopedias -- reference books of all kinds -- are avoided. And while search engines offer some corrections, poor spelling can generate numerous irrelevant results.
• Testing. Strong spelling skills enhance performance on tests. On standardized verbal tests, spelling knowledge helps unlock vocabulary and word questions. Students achieve greater flow and impact on essay questions if the richness and complexity of their writing is not limited by spelling concerns.
• Presentations. Many presentations involve marker boards. Spelling errors can be very embarrassing if committed during a presentation. The fear of making an error can lead to a limiting of word choices and a lessening of the impact of the intended message.
• Employment Opportunities. A survey of major American corporations indicates that 96% of employers consider spelling, punctuation, and grammar to be “extremely important” or “important” factors when making hiring and promotion decisions. In 2005, The National Commission on Writing for American's Families, Schools, and Colleges reported that 80% of employment applications are negatively affected by misspellings.

Personal Matters

• Attention To Details. A commitment to spelling teaches us to have high standards and pay attention to details.
• Self Esteem. Strong spelling builds one’s self esteem. We are saved from that nagging worry that we may be judged as unintelligent.