I'm reading this thread because my DH is a bad speller. He's a VS superstar, though. He said he has to use pneumonic I mean mnemonic (had to look that up) devices for spelling. When we were in China he commented that he'd probably learn Chinese characters much more easily because they are conceptual.
If DD has trouble spelling, DH will have to coach her on phonics because what you guys are saying about phonics seems like Greek to me. I cannot understand it at all, in fact if I had to use the "rules" I'd be illiterate!
DH is very athletic - has a world ranking - and has tested above his elite athlete peers in hand-eye coordination at the Olympic Training Center. (They do things like measure how often you can catch a ball thrown to you in the dark with only a strobe light.)
He's right handed but goofy foot. I did some reading on being right handed and goofy foot and there was actually some correlation found with poor spelling ability. Recently, while reading up on language acquisition, I read that most brains have language centers on the left, but a small percentage of people draw from the right (I hope I got that right - will have to relook the research). I wondered if that could account for DH's spelling challenges - his reading and comprehension are excellent - as well as he VS gifts.
Well, I'm sorry this is slightly O/T. Hats off to you all for understanding phonics.
