If you have a problem with spelling in English, it doesn’t have to mean you are dyslectic or dysgraphic. I’ve had several students who were able to spell perfectly in their native language, but as soon as they had to write English they went to pieces. None of these students was dyslectic! It’s very inconvenient in our age to have a spelling problem when almost all business is done by email. What can you do to train yourself? This might take a bit of work, but you need a system to help yourself remember how to write certain sounds.

First of all I’d like to assure you, it’s not true what they say about English that the English spelling is “a mess.” Well, it’s only partly true. What we can say about English is there are lots of rules and lots of sounds are written according to those rules. When we say English spelling is a mess, we usually mean there are too many rules and lots of exceptions to the rules. In any case, easy and effortless spelling does begin with learning those rules. English and American natives are in the advantage for this, as they start doing spelling exercises from their first days in school. Whereas if you are non-native, you’ll need to start learning a few basics.

To help you with this, I’ve devised (= made) a little spelling programme. The first part of the programme is five weeks long, and covers the basic vowels in English. They’re often called short vowels. They are a, i, o, u and e.

Every week you’ll practise writing the words that are in the list. Only ten words per week!

How should you write the words: Look at the word, then cover the word and write the word. Try to write all the words without looking again.

In another five weeks or so, I’ll continue with the rest of the spelling programme! So wishing you good spelling in the meantime.