Spelling and the Dictionary

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by

Amy
in

My son just came up to me and asked me how to spell “diamond.”

I started to spell it for him, but then I told him to use the dictionary.

“How am I supposed to use the dictionary if I don’t know how to spell it?” he said.

I had to smile and laugh inwardly because I remember having that very same question many, many years ago. And I am so thankful I was still told to use the dictionary because now I can find out all sorts of things on my own between the dictionary and so many other reference materials out there (Yes, the reference materials now include Google.)

So I handed him my old trusty dictionary that I first used in journalism school at the University of Florida, where one spelling error took 50 points off of my final grade on any assignment. Then I showed him how to search for words and determine the spelling.

I’m not sure he was impressed. But I plan to keep handing him the dictionary every time he asks. And perhaps one day, he’ll skip me and see how he can learn himself.

Aaahhhh… Joy of Five J’s would be so proud. I’m teaching my son to fish for knowledge…

How do you teach your children to fish for knowledge?

Comments

3 responses to “Spelling and the Dictionary”

  1. Hannah C. Avatar
    Hannah C.

    What a lovely post. I always Google things..this is making me rethink that! I also alphabetize for a living (I work at a library) and that’s a skill Google can’t teach you.

    Side note: I found it rather funny that in a post about spelling, a spelling error was made… ;) (“my old trustee dictionary” should be “trusty dictionary”)

    Reply
  2. Eleanor Avatar
    Eleanor

    My dictionary, thesaurus and h.s. copy of Strunk & White are always within arm’s reach on my desk, and I, too, try to encourage my kids to look things up. Anytime one of my kids, usually my youngest, starts a sentence with, “I wonder…”, I respond with, “Google it!”

    Along the same lines, I recently dropped our caller ID by accident (don’t ask), but rather than pay to get it back I’m using it as an opportunity to teach my kids (and remind my husband and myself) to 1) answer the phone when it rings (we can no longer filter our the people we don’t want to talk to), 2) be polite and find out who’s calling (we no longer know ahead of time), 3) deal with unwanted calls as respectfully and honestly as possible.

    This is not the same thing you’re posting about, but both situations hearken back to pre-technology skills that are often lost today.

    Reply
  3. Karen B. Avatar
    Karen B.

    Good post. I bet if you ask your son today, he still remembers how to spell diamond…Good link, too.

    Reply

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