As an elementary school teacher for 27 years, I have been asked to spell words hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
Every time I have been asked — without exception — I have given my student the word’s spelling.
Happily.
Never in my life have I sent a student to the dictionary for the spelling of a word. As both a teacher and an author, I can’t imagine a worse decision on the part of a teacher, for three reasons:
1. The dictionary was not designed as a spelling resource. Dictionaries are primarily concerned with the definitions of words. While it’s true that if given enough time, a person can find the correct spelling of many words in the dictionary (but good luck with words like “phone,” “psychiatry,” or “mnemonic”), it is hard to imagine a less efficient way of finding the correct spelling of a word.
2. There is no better way to discourage a writer than to bring the writing process to a grinding halt and send him or her to the dictionary every time a correct spelling is needed. It’s hard enough to get students excited about writing. As an author, it’s hard enough to find a flow. There are precious things that should be preserved at all costs. If a student is applying pen to paper or fingers to keys, we should make every effort to ensure the writing process is as seamless and uninterrupted as possible. Sending a student to the dictionary is the absolute last thing a teacher should do.
3. Sending a student to the dictionary for a correct spelling is just plain rude.
Imagine if you asked for the name of a street that we had just passed, and I told you to check Google Maps.
Imagine if you asked me for the name of the fifth President of the United States, and I told you to check Wikipedia.
Imagine if you asked me for the third digit of pi after the decimal point, and I told you to use a calculator.
You would think I was a jerk in each of these instances. Sending a student to the dictionary to find the correct spelling of a word is similar but worse.
It also interferes with the creative process.
The spelling of a word is a tiny bit of data. If you have that data and are asked for it, you should provide it immediately. When my students ask me for the spelling of a word, I write it on a post-it note so they have it forever.
But if I’m without post-it notes, I still tell them.
Doing otherwise is the kind of thing a jerk would do.
I also tell my students to forget correct spelling completely. Save it for the editing process. Or when they encounter writer’s block. Or when the room is less conducive to writing. Don’t ruin flow in favor of spelling.
But some students (and writers) like to bring their draft as close to perfection as possible. I am one of these writers. A manuscript with spelling errors would be very frustrating. So if a student cares enough to ask for the spelling of a word, I provide it without complaint.
You should, too.
I may be a jerk at times, but never to a fellow writer in the midst of a story.
