Spelling

                Is it possible to strengthen families, communities, and nations by helping the rising generation to spell better?  Is the ability to spell something that can be taught?  Is it part of the environment or is it inherited?

                My mother was a good speller; I won a class spelling bee and am still good at spelling.  I have children who either won school spelling bees or scored in the top three spots.  Now my grandchildren are winning school spelling bees and representing their schools at area spelling bees.  My children and grandchildren are also good readers.  Does being good at reading have something to do with how well they spell?

                I found an interesting article from 2008 that says spelling may be in the genes.  “This month The Times launched the UK's first national Spelling Bee to bring these issues out into the open and to fuel interest in what some would say is a forgotten art. In the past, poor spelling was attributed to all manner of things, from bad schooling to a lack of moral fibre. But science is offering a new explanation. A difficulty with spelling could be rooted in your genes and in the way that your brain is wired. These findings stem from research into the language disorder dyslexia, but they are proving important for the wider population. Biology, it seems, not only influences those with dyslexia but also people without the syndrome. If you are a bad speller you can blame your grey matter. Spelling and reading require a phenomenal amount of brain power.”

                Read more about spelling and reading here.