Why is spelling so important?

I usually spell well and look up anything I don't know. What I don't understand is why people do not use spell check on their computer, pads or phone as they autocorrect. DH sister is the worst for this and sometimes things do not make sense. They exchange emails every day and it drives him mad!

I’m an absolute bookworm and value correct spelling, but my daughter is dyslexic and I have a great sympathy for that condition. It is no use suggesting that people should read more if they have no desire to read. Thank God my daughter has lots of enviable practical/socialising qualities which more than make up for that deficiency. and thank God we are all different and contribute in varying ways to the tapestry of life.
Many famous authors were bad spellers.
I have dyscalculia and maths at school were an absolute nightmare. I still get hot and bothered by money matters, love the euro and cannot haggle in a place like Turkey with all those noughts (stops me buying things?) but there seems to be no stigma over numbers. I wonder why this is?

We’re too accepting of poor spelling, punctuation and general use of English these days. The problem as I see it is that young people don’t seem to want to read anymore. Reading develops good spelling and punctuation. I would be severely dismayed if we lived in a society where the only people who could spell, and use English properly were people who had learned it as a second language.

There's an alternative system of spelling and teaching reading called the ITA method which was introduced in the 60s to 70s but was abandonned because of the difficulty of transferring to the orthodox system.
"The I.T.A. remains of interest in discussions about possible reforms of English spelling."
from wiki.
jangran good quote!

When I first started writing as a child in infant school/junior school, I had terrible problems with spelling. I had been changed from being left handed to right handed as well at that time.
A child is told to look a word up in a dictionary if they can't spell it, but how can you look up a word if you can't spell? My father managed to find a small book for me which was called 'The Awful Speller's Dictionary' which made a world of difference for me as the words were under how they sounded and not how they were spelt and it then gave you the correct spelling. I struggled for quite a few years with spelling but eventually managed it.

Vampirequeen, I have to disagree - I read your sentence as a bow (the type that fires arrows) fell out of the tree with a mighty crash etc. Which changes everything about what the sentence is trying to convey. Using bough makes your meaning unequivocal.

Same for me Froglady I can't get into a book where there are spelling errors or use of the wrong word. Reign/rein and their/there are so often misused now. I don't have a problem with non writers getting things wrong but when you are getting paid for your use of words then it should be correct.

sodapop

I think for most of us on here spelling was a big part of our schooling. I remember starting most school days with spelling and mental arithmetic tests. I find that poor spelling really grates on me and I do think its important to be able to spell correctly. I instilled this in my children and then grandchildren. I still correct them on Whatsapp etc. My eldest granddaughter is a bit of a wordsmith and has been known to put me right on occasions.
I am an avid reader and can't stand the lack of proof reading in books nowadays.

I so agree with your comment - I find mistakes stop me in my reading so the story doesn't flow any more. I want to be able to read a story without spelling mistakes, etc, etc - one of the problems is caused by spellcheckers as they can't sort out which word a writer meant - bow or bough as both are words; that's why proofreaders are needed.

Aeons ago I worked at the BBC, typing scripts for the newsreaders. One day, in haste, I typed beautifuk instead of beautiful. The newsreader read it as such on screen and I had a dreadful telling off. So sometimes spelling matters.

It's now deemed far less important than it was in my youth. We don't cross through words with a red pen these days (not that anything is hand written now). We don't discourage their efforts.

I did make a point of insisting that my students change their spellcheck language to 'English UK' from the default US, though!

Jangran I think that's brilliant and illustrates why spelling is so difficult.

I don't really believe the problem is not being able to spell - it's the lack of reading and becoming used to the pattern of different words.

I don't think I agree with this, although for most people regular reading certainly helps to spot errors, and allows us to make a good guess if we don't know the spelling.

I've never had trouble with spelling, but my daughter is dyslexic, and as a consequence finds reading a chore. She rarely reads for pleasure, which is a shame, as she is very imaginative and loves stories in all their forms. Instead, she watches TV adaptations, or listens to audiobooks, but is very aware that these are other people's mediations of the original books.

Anyway, she doesn't see a lot of words on a regular basis, as her work, like most, has a vocabulary of its own, so it's a bit of a vicious circle.

Those ditties about homophones are amusing, but they miss the point that these are different words, to be used in different contexts. The meanings of the words 'through' and 'threw' are unlikely to get mixed up in anyone's mind, so for spelling purposes they can easily (if you are not dyslexic!) be learnt as separate words, regardless of their respective sounds.

Is it any wonder that some find spelling so difficult when they have to contend with our

Phoney Phonetics.
One reason why I cannot spell,
Although I learned the rules quite well
Is that some words like coup and through Sound just like threw and flue and Who; When oo is never spelled the same,
Then juice becomes a guessing game;
And then I ponder over though,
Is it spelled so, or throw, or beau,
And bough is never bow, it's bow,
I mean the bow that sounds like plow,
And not the bow that sounds like row -
The row that is pronounced like roe.
I wonder, too, why rough and tough,
That sound the same as gruff and muff, Are spelled like bough and though, for they Are both pronounced a different way.
And why can't I spell trough and cough The same as I do scoff and golf?
Why isn't drought spelled just like route, or doubt or pout or sauerkraut?
When words all sound so much the same To change the spelling seems a shame. There is no sense - see sound like cents - in making such a difference
Between the sight and sound of words; Each spelling rule that undergirds
The way a word should look will fail And often prove to no avail
Because exceptions will negate
The truth of what the rule may state; So though I try, I still despair
And moan and mutter "It's not fair That I'm held up to ridicule
And made to look like such a fool When it's the spelling that's at fault. Let's call this nonsense to a halt."

Attributed to Vivian Buchan, NEA Journal 1966/67, USA,
published in Spelling Progress Bulletin Spring 1966

Paddyanne I have already agreed with your opinion, and said that in my post. I merely pointed out that possibly teaching was not the best career.
Two of my DGC have a dyslexia diagnosis, finally acquired in high school after much difficulty. As you mention, it’s difficult to get a diagnosis in primary school. Both of them have had problems at school because of that.
Despite that, one went on to college and is now gaining success in a career that doesn’t require constant writing. The other is still doing A levels.

When children in my class couldn't spell a word I taught them a number of tactics and a good one was to write the initial letter and a line or make a brave attempt then underline it.
This meant the flow of the content of their writing wasn't interrupted.
They could be helped with these spellings or look them up later.
Children usually know if they have misspelled a word .

Mollygo you dont need to be able to spell for some careers ask Jackie Stewart ,held back a year in a local school ...but he was world champion more than once ,and many other folk were a huge success in life .My GD has just been diagnosed despite us telling teachers 5 years ago we thought she was dyslexic !! Much the same happened with my daughter ,her Aunt ,so nothing much has changed in 35 years

My FIL ,my OH ,my daughter and now one of my GD;s all are /were dyslexic.It really angers me that folk think they can change it ,if only it was that easy.My daughter has had people on FB correct her spelling for her..not kind or necessary .She and her Dad and GF all succeeded in business and life even if they spelled the same word differently three times in one paragraph.It really isn't the most important thing in life

I found spelling easy and never got any wrong in our morning test at school. Classmates got caned omce for every spelling they got wrong.

My last line manager was a very intelligent education officer. He used to get me to check his spelling.
My husband had an important job too and makes mistakes.

There are times when its important to get it right eg in applications, official documents etc but I don't think it should matter as much as it does. Some people are good spellers. Some aren't. So what.

True Witzend. As governors we often weed out candidates via SPaG errors or repeated typos. If an applicant can’t be bothered to check the application or really doesn’t know basic grammar, teaching is probably not the best career.
Some ‘celebrities’ have made it inspite of problems like dyslexia, but they’ve had to work extra hard and usually make sure their work is well presented.

One good reason I can think of - accurate spelling and grammar can help you to spot scams.

Another - one senior HR person I know - much younger than I am - says that when faced with a mass of CVs with similar qualifications and experience, the only practical way to weed them out is to bin any with basic SPAG errors.
And no, you can’t rely on spellcheck!

Personally I think it’s doing children and young people a great disservice to tell them that these things don’t matter any more.
They do, and incorrect spelling/punctuation can alter the meaning.
Just for starters, what is 20% of £100? And what is 20% off £100? I often see these two confused.

That’s a great idea Fennel, but I don’t think doing it on a computer with spellcheck would make it any easier - unless you turned the spellcheck off!

When I was trying to teach remedial spelling I devised work sheets with many deliberate errors for the children to correct.
The children enjoyed them but our poor secretary found them a nightmare to type.
Before the days of computers.

My mother, both my sisters and my son are dyslexic. Spelling is very hard for them. One sister writes very badly in the hope no one will notice her spelling, the other doesn't write at all. Mother was a primary teacher, but knew always to check the dictionary or my father.
My son writes beautifully but in an extremely concise manner. His sister laughed and said his writing looked like an instruction manual. I replied that she should be glad he wrote at all considering the effort and circumventions it took him!
Spelling helps for all sorts of situations. Punctuation too...

Rufus2

^Why is spelling so important^
vampirequeen
It helps to get pedants off your back when you post a message to GN

It gives you a chance of completing the Daily Crossword!
Both worthwhile objectives!
Good Health.

Absolutely!????
My iPad keeps sending me adverts for word puzzles, claiming they will keep my brain active.
I love number puzzles, crosswords and other word puzzles like Wordscapes or Wordament or Elevate
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting people who don’t do them don’t have active brains, but you wouldn’t enjoy them so much if you couldn’t spell.

Why is spelling so important
vampirequeen
It helps to get pedants off your back when you post a message to GN

It gives you a chance of completing the Daily Crossword!
Both worthwhile objectives!
Good Health.