Learn how dictation and spelling can go hand-in-hand when teaching your children new spelling words and rules.
Grab the helpful practice worksheet too at the end of this post!
RELATED: Resources for Teaching Phonics
Dictation is a simple method you can employ in your homeschool to enhance your child’s spelling lessons. It does not require a particular curriculum so you can begin today using your current spelling list. You simply speak words, phrases, or sentences to your child, and they write what you said down on paper.
However, if you would prefer to use a curriculum that provides you with more guidance when it comes to using dictation as part of your spelling lessons, I highly recommend checking out All About Spelling. I have used All About Spelling for 12+ years and it has been a very enjoyable and effective spelling curriculum.
You can implement dictation with your child’s current reading books too. Using words from your child’s current books will aid in reading, comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. If you do not use a reading book, create your own sentences using your current spelling lists or the topics your children are studying for dictation.
How to Use Dictation and Spelling Together in your Homeschool
Dictation can consist of one word to one paragraph. How you conduct it will depend on your child’s level and ability.
Benefits of Dictation
Dictation is an effective way to enhance a child’s knowledge of spelling in a variety of ways.
- It allows the child to learn spelling in a meaningful way.
- It helps with mastery of spelling rules by using and seeing the words in context.
- Encourages a child’s attention and observation skills.
- Exposes a child to sentence structure and vocabulary.
RELATED: Fun Ways to Teach Spelling
Step By Step of Dictation
1. Dictate a word or phrase to your child. You will begin with simple words for young children. As the child progresses or if you begin with a child in elementary school or above, you may use simple phrases and sentences.
2. Child repeats the word, phrase, or sentence. This is a step easily skipped over, however, it is important. This step will teach your child to pay attention and aids in working memory. If they repeat the words, you know they are listening and understood what you said.
3. Child writes what has been dictated. If you cannot stop yourself from correcting mistakes your child may make, then it is best to not look while your child writes. While, words should be studied before dictation, mistakes will happen. These mistakes will be taken care of in the final step.
4. Child proofreads what he wrote. Before you grade or correct dictation, allow your child to proofread it first. It is important to allow your child to find and correct his own mistakes. Once your child is finished, the two of you can review the sheet together.
RELATED: 18 Hands-On Spelling Activities
Free Spelling Resources
Six Ways We Make Spelling Easy eBookSpelling Rules Posters20 Best Tips for Teaching Reading and Spelling eBook
Dictation and Spelling Worksheets
We want your child to have the best resources possible when learning how to read and spell. Use the form below to access six printable dictation worksheets.
There are three different levels of worksheets and each level provides beginner and regular handwriting lines.
The first level works on words and phrases. The second level moves to phrases and sentences. The third level focuses only on sentences.
