I didn’t know it was on the way out.

Over the weekend, I read an opinion column that stated spelling is no longer emphasized in most schools. Many modern day curriculums don’t focus on teaching students how to spell correctly. The thought is that with the sophistication of spellcheck and autocorrect there is no longer the need to drill down on spelling.

The article has a paywall behind it so I am copying and pasting it here. Abby McCloskey wrote the piece.

The author of the column gave a pretty convincing rebuttal. Spelling is still necessary because proficient spelling paves the way for proficient reading. Both activities rely on a visualization of the word, something called an “orthographic map.” The link between spelling abilities and reading success is real.

Other reasons for offering a solid spelling program in the classroom were given but the following was my favorite: believing that spelling is obsolete because of modern day spellcheck is like believing math is obsolete because of calculators OR that reading is a waste because of podcasts OR that thinking is a waste of time because of ChatGPT.

Like I said, the article surprised me. I didn’t know spelling was being de-emphasized. At St. Mary Catholic School, my daughter brings home a spelling list each week—just like I did when I was her age. She takes a pre-test, studies the words throughout the week, and then takes a test on Friday.

One of Sloan’s recent spelling sheets. She has a new list and a spelling test every week…just like I did in elementary school.

The way it should be, in my opinion at least.

I have additional reasons for why I believe a spelling program is important. I think it promotes good study skills and memorization techniques. I also believe it helps students learn to cope with pressure as spelling tests absolutely necessitate thinking on the fly. Finally, the shot of dopamine that is delivered upon acing a spelling test is healthy positive reinforcement.

Is spelling still part of the curriculum at the school your child attends? If not, are you fine with that? Would love to hear arguments for why allowing spelling to fall to the wayside is a good thing. Don’t Blink.