Summary
A look at how the Look-Say-Cover-Write-Check method helps in remembering tricky spellings. Some words can be persistently difficult to spell – we always seem to get them wrong or have to look them up because the correct spelling will not stay in our minds. Of course, it is possible to ask someone to “write my essay for me in English” or just proofread it. However, this opportunity is not always available. In this case, the following method, if practiced carefully, will help us to remember any tricky spellings.
Why is the LSCWC Spelling Method Effective?
The reason this spelling strategy is so effective is that spelling is primarily a visual skill. This also explains why reading is great for spelling – the more we see a word spelled correctly, the more the image of the word will fix in our minds so that we immediately recognize it when we see it misspelled. Even if we’re not sure how it should be spelled, knowing that it’s wrong is a great step on the road to effective spelling. We can still look it up in a dictionary if we want to check.
How to Practice the LSCWC Spelling Method
To practice this method when you teach vocabulary, you need, ideally, an A4 landscape sheet – unfortunately I can’t demonstrate an exact one for you in this article but I’ll explain it as best I can:
The sheet should be divided into eight columns headed as follows:
Date; Master Word; First Try; Second Try; 10 Minutes Later; Next Day; Two Days Later; 1 Week Later
Then you’ll need as many rows of lines across the page as there are words you want to practice.
So, the first column is simply for the date; apart from this being a useful tool for checking your progress, you’ll need to complete the final column at the right time!
In the second column, write the word you’re trying to learn to spell – write it clearly and correctly.
- Look at the word; let’s use as an example the word accommodation – have a good look at it and notice what it is about that’s tricky – it has two Cs and two Ms – many people forget this and put either one C and two Ms or vice versa.
- Then say the word, preferably aloud acc-omm-o-da-tion – notice how many syllables it has and see if this helps you remember the spelling.
- Cover the world with a piece of card and try to picture it in your mind
- Have a go at writing the word from memory in the “First Try” column. If you think you’ve made a mistake, stop – check the original and then have another go in the “second try ” column.
- Check your spelling of the word. If you’ve got it wrong don’t give up; just look at where you went wrong, write it again and start the process again. When you’ve got the word right, try it again in 10 minutes to make sure it’s still there in the memory; then try it the next day, two days later, and finally, if you can remember it a whole week later you can give yourself a well-deserved chocolate treat. You’ve cracked it! Try not to peek before each attempt!
It may seem tedious to have to keep going back to it like this, but if you want the correct spelling to stay in your mind this is what works! Also, it doesn’t matter whether you consider yourself to be a poor speller or whether you’re normally a good speller who happens to find the odd word difficult – this method works for everyone. Good luck!
Mnemonics
How to use mnemonics to help with tricky spell?
The word mnemonic comes from the Greek word “mnemon” which means “mindful.” This is relevant to spelling because it is a way of using our minds to help us remember ways of spelling, rather than simply using repetition.
In a spelling context, as for the reddit essay writing service, a mnemonic is a memory aid for words that are often misspelled, especially words that come from other countries. We can make up our mnemonics to fit our own problem words. This involves:
- Comparing your misspelling with the correct word and work out where you’re going wrong.
- Inventing a mnemonic for the part you get wrong.
- Practicing the correct spelling of the word.
Using a Mnemonic to Spell “Necessary”
The word “necessary” is often spelled wrongly. It has one “c” and two “s”s.
Find the right spelling in a dictionary and compare it with what you have written.
Ask yourself why you spelled it wrongly:
- Did you have the letters in the wrong order?
- Or mistake one letter for another?
- Did you leave out letters?
- Or miss a double letter?
Ask yourself what you need to remember about the word to spell it correctly. (Eg. One c but two s’s)
Write the word correctly and underline the parts you need to focus on.
Think of a mnemonic to help you with this word. (E.g. It is necessary to have one coffee and two sugars)
Practice the right spelling using the LOOK/SAY/COVER/WRITE/CHECK method.
This may seem like a lengthy process, but it does work and once the correct spelling is imprinted on your mind, you’ll never get it wrong again!
Further Ways of Using Mnemonics
Sometimes it’s possible to alter the pronunciation of the word so that you emphasize the spelling patterns.
- Wed – nes – day
- main – ten – ance
- pe – ople
- mort – gage
- marri – age
- fri – end
Or find a hidden word and highlight it:
- You must add your address
- A secretary keeps a secret
- Never separate a para from his parachute
- I am sitting in parliament
- A government must govern
- There’s sin in business
- An island is a land surrounded by water
- The piece has a pie in it
With very unusual letter combinations we can invent a sentence using the letters in the right order:
- Rhythm – rhythm has your two hips moving
- Phlegm – people’s healthy lungs expel good mucus
Mnemonics Exercise
See if you can think of a memory tool (i.e. mnemonic) for the following words (suggestions below):
- bargain
- accommodation
- beautiful
- because
- special
- measurement
Suggestions
- bargain – you gain if you get a bargain
- accommodation – think of the two c’s and two m’s as characters like Cheeky Charlie & Mad Max
- beautiful – big elephants are ugly
- because – the cause of my forgetting is because I have such a bad memory!
- special – the CIA has special agents
- measurement – be sure to check your measurements
I’m Sehar, and have been working as a Content Writer for The Different Languages. Moreover, I’m just an amateur writer who didn’t quit and believes that everything in life is writable about if you’ve the outgoing guts to do it!