DD7 struggled with the same problem. Her grade 1 teachers used to chuckle about how she completely ignored all the strategies they tried to teach her for reading words she did not know and for spelling new words. She just guessed.. at everything. Even if it made NO sense, and then she would just keep on going like it made complete sense to her. As she has progressed rapidly with her reading, her spelling has improved dramatically. She told me yesterday that she only has to see a word once or twice to store it in her head. Must be nice!
I find her to be like this in many subject areas. She'll do it as she likes to... thank you very much. But you know, she eventually figures it out and I think that is the main thing. I am trying really hard to pick my battles and hope that her new teacher next year will be as patient as the first few have been.
