The document provides 10 points to consider when teaching spelling to elementary school students. It recommends pre-testing words to determine what to study, using varied sensory methods for learning, focusing on individual student errors, periodic review with increasing intervals, measuring student growth through tests, using preventative techniques to reduce need for remedial instruction. It also lists 10 spelling rules, such as doubling consonants in monosyllabic words ending in vowel-consonant and changing y to i when adding suffixes.

1. Points to Consider in
Teaching Spelling in
the Elementary
Grades

2. 2. The teacher must use ingenuity and variety in
motivating correct spelling.
3. The teaching of spelling should provide for a pre-
testing of words to determine the words to be studied in
spelling lesson.

3. 4. The teacher must use as many sensory avenues to
learning as are necessary for correct spelling.
5. Pinpoint the instructions in spelling to specific
errors that are individual pupils make.
6. Review on words that have been taught should be
given periodically. The interval between such periods
should increase as the time goes on.

4. • 7. There should be provision for measuring pupil’s
growth; hence; final test should be administered
covering all the words learned and develop during the
week.
• 8. The need for much remedial instruction in spelling
can be decreased by the use of preventive procedure.

5. Most Useful Rules in

6. • 1. In monosyllables ending in f, l, or s, the final letter is
doubled when preceded by a single vowel; as in all, ball,
puff, and mill. Exceptions; if, of, as, has, clef, was, us, etc.
• 2. In monosyllables ending in other consonants than f, l, or s,
the final letter is not doubled, as , log cab, pen, sun.
Exceptions: Add, odd, ebb, err, puss, etc.
• 3. In monosyllables ending with hard c, k, is added; as black,
block, lack, neck. There are exceptions such as lac.

7. • 4. Monosyllables and words accented on the last syllable
ending with single consonant preceded by a single vowel,
double the final letter on receiving a suffix beginning with a
vowel; as, drop, dropping; control, controlling.
• 5. A final consonant, when it is not preceded by a single
vowel, or when the accent is not on the last syllable, should
be remain single when a suffix is added; as, travel, traveling;
defend, defending.

8. • 7. Silent final e is retained when suffixes beginning with a
consonant are added; as shoe, shoeless; life, lifeless.
Exception: wholly, awful, acknowledgment.
• 8. When a suffix is added to a word ending in y preceded by
a consonant, y is change to I; as holy, holiness. Exceptions:
adjectives of one syllable, as sly, slyest.

9. • 9. Compound words usually retain the spelling of the simple
words of which they are composed; as railroad, well bred,
etc. Exceptions: always, also, welcome, Christmas, etc.
• 10. Use I before e except after c or when sounded as a, as in
neighbor and weigh.